bulrush
UK[ˈbʊlrʌʃ]US[ˈbʊlˌrʌʃ]
n
A tall, reed-like plant with a thick, soft stem, growing in or near water.
Etymology
The word 'bulrush' originates from Middle English 'bulrysche'. Its first element is likely derived from 'bole', meaning 'stem' or 'trunk', from Old Norse 'bolr'. The second element is 'rush', the name for a similar type of plant, from Old English 'risc' or 'rysc'. The modern form was influenced by the unrelated word 'bull', giving a false impression of a compound meaning "bull rush". This folk etymology reshaped the word to align with more familiar, albeit semantically disconnected, terms. It ultimately refers to various large, sturdy aquatic plants, particularly those of the genera Typha (cattails) and Schoenoplectus.
Analysis
The word is a simplex. Its components 'bull' and 'rush' are not true morphemes in this context but rather the result of folk etymology altering an earlier form.
Examples
The children hid among the tall bulrushes at the edge of the pond.
The ancient Egyptians used the pith of the papyrus, a type of bulrush, to make writing material.
Ducks often build their nests concealed within dense stands of bulrush.