Meaning & use
strawflower
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountablebiology
A plant with papery flowers that keep their shape and color when dried.
Grammar: It is a countable noun: a strawflower, several strawflowers.
Patterns
- grow strawflowers
- a bunch of strawflowers
- strawflowers in a vase
She grows strawflowers in her garden because they last so long when dried.
The dried strawflowers in the vase still look bright after months.
Strawflowers are popular for making dried arrangements.
nouncountablebiology
The flower of this plant, often used in dried flower crafts.
Grammar: Often used in the plural when talking about several flowers.
Patterns
- dried strawflowers
- a strawflower wreath
- pick strawflowers
She made a wreath from dried strawflowers.
The strawflowers were picked and hung upside down to dry.
A single strawflower can add color to a dried bouquet.
Word forms
| plural | strawflowers |
|---|
Common combinations
- dried strawflowers
- Dried strawflowers are often used in winter decorations.
- grow strawflowers
- They grow strawflowers from seed every spring.
- a bunch of strawflowers
- He gave her a bunch of strawflowers from the garden.
- strawflower wreath
- The strawflower wreath hung on the front door.
Synonyms and how they differ
- everlasting flower
- Everlasting flower is a broader term for any flower that keeps its shape when dried, including strawflower.
Commonly confused: strawflower or sunflower?
strawflower vs sunflower
Sunflower is a large yellow flower that produces seeds; strawflower is a smaller plant with papery flowers used for drying.
Practice
Strawflowers are often used in dried arrangements because they ______ their shape and color.
Choose one answer.
Strawflowers are known for keeping their shape and color when dried, so 'keep' is correct. 'Lose' and 'change' would mean the opposite, and 'hide' does not fit the meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “strawflower”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.