Jerusalem cherry
- noun
- /dʒəˈruːsələm ˈtʃɛri/
:
cereza de Jerusalén
- Children should be kept away from Jerusalem cherry because its berries are poisonous.
Examples
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The Jerusalem cherry is popular as a winter houseplant despite its toxic berries.
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She placed a pot of Jerusalem cherry on her kitchen windowsill for its bright fruit.
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The Jerusalem cherry plant is known for its bright red berries.
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Many people enjoy the beauty of Jerusalem cherries in their homes.
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Children should be kept away from Jerusalem cherry because its berries are poisonous.
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She placed a pot of Jerusalem cherry on her kitchen windowsill to enjoy its bright fruit.
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The Jerusalem cherry is popular as a houseplant due to its decorative but toxic berries.
Synonyms
A small shrub with bright red or yellow cherry-like berries that are poisonous
A small South American plant grown indoors for its bright, poisonous, cherry-sized fruit
Surface Forms
Morphology
Jerusalem + cherry
A learner who knows 'Jerusalem' and 'cherry' will likely infer this is a type of cherry or cherry-like plant (modifier + noun pattern), so the general idea of a plant with berry-like fruit is predictable. However, the specific senses — that it is an ornamental, poisonous South American shrub and not a true edible cherry — are not derivable from the constituents, so the phrase is only partially transparent.
Etymology
Jerusalem cherry may come from people giving distant place names to plants because its bright red berries look like little cherry fruits and adding Jerusalem made the name sound special. So the name gives a picture of a pretty houseplant with cherry-like berries, even though they are 'not a real cherry' and are 'poisonous'.
