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Malus pumila

Malus pumila

6.5
A tree that grows rounded, edible fruits called apples
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : manzano
  • Farmers cultivate Malus pumila for its sweet fruit.

Examples

  • Many commercial orchards grow Malus pumila for its high-quality apples.

  • The blossoms of Malus pumila are a sign of spring in many regions.

  • Botanists often study Malus pumila to understand fruit development.

  • The Malus pumila tree produces delicious apples.

  • Many commercial orchards grow Malus pumila for its high-quality apples.

  • The blossoms of Malus pumila are a sign of spring in many regions.

  • The Malus pumila tree produces delicious apples.

Synonyms

apple
vsMalus pumila
87 1.0

A tree that grows round fruit people eat

is the formal botanical name rather than a plain descriptive term
apple tree
vsMalus pumila
21 1.0

A tree that grows round sweet fruits called apples

is the scientific label used by botanists for the same tree
orchard apple tree
vsMalus pumila
2.1

A tree grown for its apples that people eat

is the botanical species name used more broadly in scientific classification

Surface Forms

Malus pumila singular
Malus pumilas plural

Morphology

Malus + pumila

The phrase is a Latin binomial: 'Malus' is the apple genus so a learner who knows that could infer it refers to an apple tree, but the specific epithet 'pumila' is not a common English word (and is listed here as unknown) and the binomial format is scientific rather than normal English composition. Because the meaning is only partially recoverable (requires botanical/Latin knowledge) and not fully predictable to a B1 learner, the expression is best judged as semi-transparent.

Etymology

Malus pumila: The scientific name Malus pumila comes from old Latin words: Malus means 'apple' and pumila means 'small', so the name paints a picture of a small apple tree. That's why it is used for the apple tree that makes the round fruit we eat.