turnsole
UK/'tə:nsəul/US/'tә:nsәul/
Definitions
n.
A plant whose flowers turn to follow the sun, such as the heliotrope or sunflower.
向日性植物（如天芥菜、向日葵）
Root Breakdown
Loanwordturn + sōl (sun) = a plant that 'turns to the sun.' Turnsole is an old English name for sun-following plants like the heliotrope — the same idea as the Greek-based 'heliotrope' (helios = sun, trope = turn). A near-literal English calque of the same concept.
Root sol still carries 22 more wordsCommon Collocations
- 1.[turnsole plant]向日性植物
- 2.[turnsole dye]向日性植物染料
- 3.heliotropic turnsole趋光性向日草
- 4.[turnsole pigment]向日性植物色素
Example Sentences
- 1.
The old herbalists called the heliotrope a turnsole.
- 2.
Like a turnsole, the flowers tracked the sun all day.