borage family: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low (C2)Technical (botany) / Informal (extended metaphor)
Quick answer
What does “borage family” mean?
A family of flowering plants, the Boraginaceae, characterized by hairy leaves and stems, and clusters of small, usually blue, star-shaped flowers.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A family of flowering plants, the Boraginaceae, characterized by hairy leaves and stems, and clusters of small, usually blue, star-shaped flowers.
Informally used to refer to a close-knit group of related or similar things, drawing a parallel to the botanical family's shared characteristics.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Both varieties use the term identically in botanical contexts.
Connotations
Neutral technical term in both regions.
Frequency
Equally low frequency in both varieties, confined to botanical, horticultural, or highly descriptive contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “borage family” in a Sentence
[Plant X] is a member of the borage family.The borage family includes [Plant Y] and [Plant Z].It belongs to the borage family.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “borage family” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- [No verb form]
American English
- [No verb form]
adverb
British English
- [No adverb form]
American English
- [No adverb form]
adjective
British English
- The borage-family plants were thriving in the cottage garden.
American English
- She identified it by its borage-family characteristics.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in botany, horticulture, and phytochemistry papers.
Everyday
Rare, except among gardeners or in detailed nature writing.
Technical
Standard term in botanical taxonomy and field guides.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “borage family”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “borage family”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “borage family”
- Mispronouncing 'borage' as /bəˈrɑːʒ/ or /ˈbɔːreɪdʒ/.
- Using the term in general conversation where 'group' or 'category' would be more appropriate.
- Capitalising incorrectly: 'Borage family' is acceptable, but 'borage family' is more common.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Borage (Borago officinalis) is one specific plant species. The 'borage family' (Boraginaceae) is the large plant family to which borage belongs, along with forget-me-nots, comfrey, and many others.
It would be very unusual unless you are specifically talking about gardening or botany with someone who understands the term. In general talk, you would name the specific plant (e.g., 'that's a forget-me-not') rather than use the family name.
In many gardens, the forget-me-not (Myosotis) is the most commonly recognised member. The herb borage itself is also widely grown by gardeners and for culinary use.
Plant families are typically named after a representative or well-known genus within them. The genus 'Borago' (which includes the common borage herb) was chosen as the type genus for this family.
A family of flowering plants, the Boraginaceae, characterized by hairy leaves and stems, and clusters of small, usually blue, star-shaped flowers.
Borage family is usually technical (botany) / informal (extended metaphor) in register.
Borage family: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbɒrɪdʒ ˌfæm(ə)li/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbɔːrɪdʒ ˌfæm(ə)li/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a **BORE** at a family reunion telling a long story about his **AGE**. All his relatives (the borage family) have similarly rough, hairy leaves.
Conceptual Metaphor
A FAMILY IS A BOTANICAL TAXONOMIC GROUP (for the core meaning). A GROUP OF SIMILAR ENTITIES IS A PLANT FAMILY (for the extended meaning).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'borage family' MOST appropriately used?