bottlebrush
UK[ˈbɒtlbrʌʃ]US[ˈbɑːtlbrʌʃ]
n
A cylindrical brush with bristles at the end, used for cleaning bottles.
n
An Australian shrub or small tree of the myrtle family, which bears spikes of flowers resembling a bottlebrush.
Morpheme Breakdown
bottle
brush
bottle
brush
Etymology
The word 'bottlebrush' is a transparent compound formed in Modern English by combining two common nouns. The first element, 'bottle', traces its lineage to Late Latin buttis (cask), entering English via Old English and French, solidifying its meaning as a container. The second element, 'brush', originates from Old French broisse, referring to brushwood or an implement made of bristles. The compound logically names an object designed for cleaning the interior of bottles. This literal meaning was then extended through metaphorical comparison to describe certain Australian plants whose dense, cylindrical flower spikes bear a striking visual resemblance to the cleaning tool.
Analysis
Structure: bottle + brush
- bottle: From Old English bottel, via Medieval Latin butticula, a diminutive of Late Latin buttis (cask). Denotes a container, typically for liquids.
- brush: From Middle English brusshe, from Old French broisse (brushwood). Denotes an implement with bristles used for cleaning or grooming.
Examples
She used a bottlebrush to clean the narrow neck of the vase.
The red bottlebrush is flowering profusely in the garden.
A good bottlebrush is essential for cleaning reusable water bottles.