ENGLISH
REFERENCE

heather

n. uncountable
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈhɛðɝ// UK //hˈɛðɐ// heather

n. a small plant with tiny purple or pink flowers that grows in wild, open areas. It is very tough and can live in poor soil or cold weather.

n. a low-growing evergreen shrub of the family Ericaceae, typically found on acidic soils such as moors and heaths. Often used as a collective term for the dense vegetation it forms.


SIMPLE

The hills are covered in purple heather during the summer.

CONTEXTUAL

We spent the afternoon hiking through the thick heather on the Scottish moors.

COMPLEX

The landscape was a vibrant tapestry of blooming heather and gorse, providing a hardy habitat for the local wildlife despite the thin, nutrient-poor soil.

Synonyms
Origin

From heather; the given name is one of the plant names taken up in the 19th century. The surname is habitational, also meaning someone living on a heath.

Usage

Usually uncountable when referring to the plant species or the landscape; countable only when referring to specific botanical varieties.

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