goldenrod
UK[ˈɡəʊldənrɒd]US[ˈɡoʊldənrɑːd]
n
a tall plant with a long stem and many small, bright yellow flowers
n
a strong yellow color
Morpheme Breakdown
golden
rod
golden
golden
rod
rod
Etymology
the word 'goldenrod' is a transparent english compound formed from two native old english elements. the first part, 'golden', derives from 'gold', referring to the precious metal, combined with the adjectival suffix '-en' to mean "having the color or quality of gold." the second part, 'rod', originally meant a straight, slender shoot or stick, aptly describing the plant's characteristic tall, erect stem. when combined, the term literally means "golden rod," a perfectly logical descriptor for the plant's appearance: a rod-like stalk topped with a spray of small, bright yellow flowers. this straightforward naming convention reflects the tendency in english to create descriptive compound nouns from familiar native roots.
Analysis
Structure: golden (golden) + rod (rod)
golden (old english; adjective-forming suffix meaning "made of or resembling gold") + rod (old english; noun meaning "slender straight stick or shoot")
Examples
the fields were ablaze with the bright yellow of goldenrod in late summer.
she picked a few stems of goldenrod to put in a vase.
the artist mixed paints to capture the exact goldenrod of the autumn flowers.