Oregon crab apple
- noun
- /ˈɔrɪɡən kræb ˈæpəl/
- US
:
manzano silvestre de Oregón
- The Oregon crab apple is often used in landscaping for its beautiful spring blossoms.
Examples
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Wildlife in the region feed on the fruit of the Oregon crab apple during late autumn.
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Many gardeners appreciate the hardiness of the Oregon crab apple in challenging climates.
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The Oregon crab apple tree bloomed beautifully this spring.
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Many gardeners love the Oregon crab apple for its stunning flowers.
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Many gardeners appreciate the hardiness of the Oregon crab apple in challenging climates.
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The Oregon crab apple is often used in landscaping for its beautiful spring blossoms.
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Wildlife in the region feed on the fruit of the Oregon crab apple during late autumn.
Synonyms
1
5.1
A small wild apple tree that has small sour fruit
1
4.5
A small sour apple or the tree that grows it often used to make jam
A small wild apple tree with white flowers and small yellow or red fruit
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is compositional: Oregon (a place name) modifies 'crab apple' (a type of small/sour apple/tree), so the meaning 'a crabapple tree from Oregon' is directly derivable from the parts. The region + noun compound follows a common, transparent pattern, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words can infer the referent.
Etymology
Oregon crab apple gets its name from the small wild apples that grow in the Oregon area. Long ago people used the word 'crab' to mean 'small' or 'sour', and apple is the fruit, so a crab apple is a tart wild apple, which explains why the name refers to a hardy little tree with small, sour fruit.