winter rose
- noun
- Specialized
- The winter rose blooms when most other plants are dormant, bringing color to the garden in cold months.
Examples
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She planted a winter rose by the front door to admire its flowers during December.
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Botanists often refer to the winter rose as a symbol of resilience in harsh weather.
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The winter rose blooms beautifully even in the cold.
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I bought a winter rose for my garden.
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The winter rose blooms when most other plants are dormant, bringing color to the garden in cold months.
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She planted a winter rose by the front door to admire its flowers during December.
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Botanists often refer to the winter rose as a symbol of resilience in harsh weather.
Synonyms
An evergreen plant with white or purple flowers that bloom in winter
A plant with white or pale purple rose-like flowers that bloom in winter often near Christmas
An evergreen European plant with leathery leaves and white winter flowers whose parts are poisonous if eaten
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound meaning is directly derivable from the constituents: 'winter' (the cold season) + 'rose' (a flowering plant) signals a rose-like flower associated with winter. Even if the plant is not a true rose botanically, a B1 learner who knows both words will understand it refers to a flower that blooms in winter, a compositional and cross-linguistically common pattern.
Etymology
Winter rose gets its name from a real plant that makes white, rose-like flowers in cold months. The image of a winter flower that looks like a rose helps you remember that it literally 'blooms in winter' and is seen as a sign of 'resilience'.