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Glite Dictionary
Malus baccata

Malus baccata

9.7
A small wild apple tree from Asia grown for its sour fruit and white spring flowers
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Malus baccata
  • Farmers often grow Malus baccata for its hardy fruit, which is popular in jelly making.

Examples

  • Horticulturists recommend planting Malus baccata because it tolerates colder climates than many other apple varieties.

  • The ornamental Malus baccata is prized for its profusion of white spring blossoms.

  • The Malus baccata tree produces small, tart apples.

  • Many gardeners love Malus baccata for its beautiful blossoms.

  • Farmers often grow Malus baccata for its small, acidic fruit, which is excellent for making preserves.

  • The Malus baccata tree is cultivated primarily for its tart red apples, popular in jams and jellies.

  • Gardeners appreciate Malus baccata not only for its hardy fruit but also for its ability to withstand cold temperatures.

Synonyms

cherry apple
vsMalus baccata
  • Indian
7.6

A small red apple that tastes tart and is used to make jam

is the scientific name rather than a common label
Siberian crab
vsMalus baccata
  • UK
9.9

A small tree that makes tart red apples used to make jam

is used as the scientific label without a common name
Siberian crab apple
vsMalus baccata
  • UK
7.8

A small hardy tree that makes sour red apples used for jam

emphasizes many cultivated varieties rather than a single general description
cherry crab
vsMalus baccata
7.5

A small tree that makes red sour fruit used for jam

describes general use in preserves without stressing frequency

Surface Forms

Malus baccata singular
Malus baccatas plural

Morphology

Malus + baccata

The form is a Latin binomial: 'Malus' names the apple genus, so a learner who knows that constituent can infer this refers to a type of apple/tree. However 'baccata' is not a common English word and the specific sense (an Asian wild crab apple cultivated for tart fruit) is specialized and not fully derivable from the parts, so the overall meaning is only partially predictable.

Etymology

Malus baccata is a scientific name from Latin: Malus means 'apple' and baccata means 'berry-like' or 'having small berries'. So the name paints the image of an apple tree with many small, red, sour fruits, which matches the wild crab apple used for jellies and preserves.