greasewood
UK[ˈɡriːswʊd]US[ˈɡriːsˌwʊd]
n
a low, spiny shrub of the goosefoot family, found in arid regions of western north america, which has narrow, fleshy leaves and yields a resinous substance.
Morpheme Breakdown
grease
wood
grease
wood
Etymology
the word greasewood is a transparent english compound, formed by combining the noun 'grease' with the noun 'wood'. the name is descriptive, referring to the resinous, greasy feel of the plant's foliage, particularly when crushed. the term 'grease' itself traces back to latin 'crassus' (thick, fat), while 'wood' has germanic origins from proto-indo-european widhu- (tree). the compound emerged in american english in the early 19th century as settlers named the distinctive shrub of the western deserts based on its most noticeable physical property.
Analysis
Structure: grease + wood
grease (from old french 'graisse', meaning fat or oily substance; functional role: attributive noun describing a characteristic) + wood (from old english 'wudu', meaning tree or forest; functional role: head noun denoting a plant)
Examples
the cattle avoided the bitter-tasting greasewood, seeking out sparse patches of grass instead.
a resin extracted from greasewood was sometimes used by indigenous peoples for medicinal purposes.
the arid landscape was dotted with the silvery-green clumps of greasewood.