Barbados gooseberry
- noun
- UK
:
grosella de Barbados
- The Barbados gooseberry produces clusters of fragrant white flowers followed by orange-yellow fruits.
Examples
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The Barbados gooseberry has spiny stems and produces small yellow to orange fruits.
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A tangle of Barbados gooseberry vines covered the old garden wall.
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Locals often use the ripe Barbados gooseberry in jams and desserts.
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The Barbados gooseberry is known for its unique flavor.
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I found a Barbados gooseberry plant in my garden.
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In the summer, we enjoy making jams from the ripe Barbados gooseberry found in local markets.
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The Barbados gooseberry plant thrives in the warm climate of the West Indies, showcasing its fragrant white flowers.
Synonyms
A West Indian climbing plant with spiny stems, white scented flowers, and small yellow or orange fruits
A woody climbing plant from the West Indies with spiny stems, fragrant white flowers and small orange fruits
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound is a straightforward place-name + noun: 'Barbados' (an island) + 'gooseberry' (a small tart berry) yields a variety or type of gooseberry associated with Barbados. A B1 learner who knows both constituents would reasonably infer it denotes a specific kind of berry from or named for Barbados, even though botanical specifics (species, color) are not predictable from the words alone.
Etymology
Barbados gooseberry may come from the island of Barbados and the small round fruits that reminded people of the European 'gooseberry'; early visitors named the woody climbing plant after those bright yellow-orange berries. That's why the name now refers to the climbing plant with spiny stems and fragrant white flowers.
