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American red plum

American red plum

1 4.8
A wild plum tree from eastern and central North America with red fruit and yellow flesh
  • noun
  • /əˈmɛrɪkən rɛd plʌm/
  • US
translation icon : ciruela roja americana

Examples

  • Jam made from American red plum is a delicacy in some rural communities.

  • The American red plum is prized for its tart, flavorful fruit.

  • We found a grove of American red plum trees along the riverbank.

  • The American red plum is a beautiful tree.

  • I love the taste of American red plums.

  • The American red plum tree produces bright red-orange fruit that is delicious and sweet.

  • During summer, the American red plum is commonly found in local farmers' markets.

  • I picked some ripe American red plums from the tree in my backyard for a pie.

Synonyms

Prunus americana
vsAmerican red plum
  • Specialized
9.3

A wild plum tree from eastern and central North America that has red-orange fruit with yellow inside

is the common everyday name rather than the formal taxonomic label
August plum
vsAmerican red plum
  • US
8.8

A wild plum tree in eastern and central North America that makes red-orange fruit with yellow flesh

focuses on the fruit as a notable characteristic rather than a neutral fact
goose plum
vsAmerican red plum
  • US
9.8

A wild plum tree from eastern and central North America that makes red-orange fruit with yellow flesh

treats the fruit as a distinctive feature rather than a simple plant fact

Surface Forms

Morphology

American + red + plum

The noun phrase's meaning is directly compositional: 'American' specifies origin, 'red' describes the fruit color, and 'plum' names the tree/fruit, so together they denote a red-colored plum species from America. This follows normal adjective + noun modification patterns found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows the parts will readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

American red plum is a plain name that tells the story: early settlers named this wild plum because it grows in America and makes bright red fruit you can eat. So the name means 'a wild plum tree from America with red fruit'.