cheatgrass
UK[ˈtʃiːtɡrɑːs]US[ˈtʃiːtɡræs]
n
a type of grass with seeds that have sharp points, originally from europe and asia, now common in north america where it dries out quickly and increases the risk of fires.
n
any of several grasses that are considered weeds, especially in grain fields.
Morpheme Breakdown
cheat
grass
cheat
deceive
grass
plant
Etymology
the word "cheatgrass" is a compound formed from two english elements. the first part, "cheat," derives from the agricultural context where certain weedy grasses, like bromus secalinus, were said to "cheat" farmers by mixing with and reducing the yield of cultivated cereal crops. the second part, "grass," is a fundamental germanic word for the common herbaceous plant. the term's logic is vividly metaphorical, personifying the invasive plant as a deceiver that infiltrates and diminishes valuable cultivated land. this name was later applied specifically to the highly invasive annual grass bromus tectorum, which "cheats" native ecosystems by establishing dominance and then creating a fire hazard.
Analysis
Structure: cheat (deceive) + grass (plant)
cheat (from middle english 'chete', a rephrasing of 'eschete', from old french, meaning 'forfeited property'; later associated with deception). grass (from old english 'græs', meaning 'herb, plant').
Examples
the dry hillsides were covered in cheatgrass, a major fire risk.
farmers in the 19th century gave it the name cheatgrass because it contaminated their wheat harvests.
controlling the spread of cheatgrass is a significant challenge for land managers in the western united states.