Citrus bergamia

8.4

A small Italian tree with pear-shaped fruit whose oil flavors tea and makes perfume

noun
/ˈsɪtrəs bərˈɡɑːmiə/

Specialized

: bergamota

Earl Grey tea owes its distinctive flavor to the addition of Citrus bergamia oil.

Examples

The essential oil extracted from Citrus bergamia is widely used in the perfume industry.
Farmers in southern Italy cultivate Citrus bergamia for both its fruit and its aromatic oil.
The Citrus bergamia tree thrives in sunny climates.
Many perfumes contain oil extracted from Citrus bergamia.
Earl Grey tea owes its distinctive flavor to the addition of Citrus bergamia oil.
Farmers in southern Italy cultivate Citrus bergamia for both its fruit and its aromatic oil.
The essential oil extracted from Citrus bergamia is widely used in the perfume industry.

Synonyms

bergamot

vsCitrus bergamia

2 7.9

A small fruit like an orange with a strong, fresh scent used to flavor tea and perfumes

focuses on Italy and fruit color rather than that specific tea example

bergamot orange

vsCitrus bergamia

7.0

A small citrus tree from Italy with pear-shaped fruit whose oil flavors tea and perfumes

emphasizes the fruit's yellow or green color rather than only origin and use

Surface Forms

Citrus bergamia singular

Citrus bergamias plural

Morphology

Citrus + bergamia

The element 'Citrus' clearly indicates the taxonomic class (a type of citrus tree/fruit), so a learner who knows that word will grasp the general category. However 'bergamia' is a Latin species epithet with no obvious lexical meaning to a B1 learner, so the specific attributes (pear-shaped fruit, Italian origin, aromatic oil used in perfumery) are not predictable from the parts alone, making the overall name only partially transparent.

Etymology

Citrus bergamia gets the name bergamia from the Italian town 'Bergamo'. The small, pear-shaped fruit has a very scented oil used in 'perfume' and to flavor 'Earl Grey' tea, so the name helps you remember this fragrant citrus.