English Reference

Word

martha

Phoneticsmartha

/ˈmɑɹθə/

Definitions

01personal name

B2 · Religion

n. a traditional female name, originally from the Bible.

n. a female given name of Aramaic origin, most notably referring to the sister of Lazarus and Mary in the New Testament.

“Martha was a very popular name for girls in the early twentieth century.”

“The biblical figure Martha is often depicted in art as a symbol of active service and domestic diligence.”

02mushroom greenhouse

C2

n. a small indoor greenhouse with a machine that keeps the air wet, used to grow mushrooms.

n. a small-scale indoor greenhouse equipped with a humidifier and ventilation, specifically designed for the cultivation of mushrooms.

“He set up a Martha in his spare room to grow oyster mushrooms.”

“Maintaining the correct humidity levels inside a Martha is crucial for preventing the substrate from drying out during the fruiting stage.”

Slang · Technical

Usage

Often used as a common noun despite its origin as a proper name.

Synonyms

fruiting chamber

Etymology

* From Latin Martha, from Ancient Greek Μάρθα (Mártha), from Aramaic מָרְתָא (mārtā, “mistress”), feminine of מרא (mārā). Doublet of Marfa. * (humidity chamber): From the use of Martha Stewart-branded storage closets in the construction of early units.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry

Level
C2 · Proficiency
Frequency
Frequent
Updated

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