alfilaria

alfilaria
(alfilería [alfilería] < alfilerillo < alfiler < Arabic al-hhilel 'pin,' plus the diminutive suffix -illo; hence, 'small pin')
   OED: 1868. Acommon forage in the Southwest, also known as pin grass (Erodium cicu-tarium). According to Cobos, alfilería (also alfilerillo) is used in New Mexican and Southern Colorado Spanish to denote a plant of the Cranesbill family called pinclover. He indicates that the term derives from alfilerillo, which the DRAE defines as an herbaceous plant used as forage in Argentina and Chile. It is likely that the Argentine and Chilean varieties are unrelated to the southwestern alfilaria or alfile-ria, but share the common characteristic of a pinlike shape. No doubt the cowboy distinguished among the various types of forage that cattle would eat, since there was always the danger that they might ingest locoweed or some other poisonous plant.
   Alternate forms: alfilena, alfileria, alfilerilla, filaree, fileree.

Cowboy Talk. A Dictionary of Spanish Terms. . 2013.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Alfilaria — Al*fil a*ri a, n. (Bot.) The pin grass ({Erodium cicutarium}), a weed in California. [1913 Webster] || …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • alfilaria — ☆ alfilaria or alfileria [al fil΄ə rē′ə ] n. [AmSp alfilerillo < Sp alfiler, a pin < Ar al khilāl, thorn] a European common weed (Erodium cicutarium) of the geranium family, which is now utilized as fodder in the SW U.S …   English World dictionary

  • alfilaria — paprastasis dalgutis statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Snaputinių šeimos vaistinis nuodingas augalas (Erodium cicutarium), paplitęs Afrikoje, Europoje ir Azijoje. atitikmenys: lot. Erodium cicutarium angl. alfilaria; heron s bill; red stem… …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • alfilaria — /al fil euh ree euh/, n. a European plant, Erodium cicutarium, of the geranium family, grown for forage in the U.S. Also called pin clover. [1865 70, Amer.; < Sp alfilerillo, equiv. to alfiler pin ( < Ar al khilal the pin) + illo dim. suffix] * * …   Universalium

  • alfilaria — al·fil·a·ria …   English syllables

  • alfilaria — al•fil•a•ri•a [[t]ælˌfɪl əˈri ə[/t]] n. pl. ri•as pln a European plant, Erodium cicutarium, of the geranium family, grown for forage in the U.S • Etymology: 1865–70, amer.; < Sp alfilerillo=alfiler pin < Ar al khilāl the pin …   From formal English to slang

  • alfilaria — noun European weed naturalized in southwestern United States and Mexico having reddish decumbent stems with small fernlike leaves and small deep reddish lavender flowers followed by slender fruits that stick straight up; often grown for forage •… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Erodium cicutarium — Alfilaria Al*fil a*ri a, n. (Bot.) The pin grass ({Erodium cicutarium}), a weed in California. [1913 Webster] || …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • pin clover — alfilaria. [1880 85, Amer.] * * * …   Universalium

  • filaree — ☆ filaree [fil′ə rē΄ ] n. ALFILARIA * * * fil·a·ree (fĭl ə rēʹ) n. See alfilaria.   [Alteration of alfilaria.] * * * …   Universalium

  • pin clover — noun European weed naturalized in southwestern United States and Mexico having reddish decumbent stems with small fernlike leaves and small deep reddish lavender flowers followed by slender fruits that stick straight up; often grown for forage •… …   Useful english dictionary

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