half-man, noun
- Origin:
- Calque formed on Afrikaans halfmens.
The halfmens, Pachypodium namaquanum. Also attributive.
1911 State Nov. 487 (Pettman)The trunk is often almost the girth of a man at its thickest point, and the effect of these solitary erect figures against a background of rocks is such as to render their name of half-men very appropriate.
1988 M. Urson in Personality 6 June 62 (caption)The rare ‘halfman’ plant..which grows in the Richtersveld.
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