Phoenix dactylifera
- noun
- Specialized
:
Phoenix dactylifera
- Date (Phoenix dactylifera) fruit has been a staple for millennia.
- Phoenix dactylifera palm
- date palm
Examples
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Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is the major fruit crop of Pakistan and ranked 5th for production in the world (FAOSTAT, 2012).
Academic text (2014) -
Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is the third major fruit crop of Pakistan and is commercially grown in many parts of the country.
Academic text (2014) -
Keywords: Phoenix dactylifera L.; date palm; strand thinning; yield; fruit quality.
Academic text (2014) -
The Phoenix dactylifera is known for producing sweet dates that are enjoyed around the world.
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Farmers cultivate the Phoenix dactylifera for its nutritious dates, which are a popular food source.
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In warm regions, the Phoenix dactylifera thrives, providing both shade and delicious fruit.
Synonyms
1
3.0
A tall palm tree that grows in hot dry places and makes sweet dates
Surface Forms
Morphology
Phoenix + dactylifera
This is a Latin binomial (scientific name) rather than an English phrase built from ordinary words; the second element ‘dactylifera’ is not a known English word and its meaning is not inferable by a B1 learner. Even if a learner knows 'Phoenix' (which is also a mythological bird or city), that knowledge does not transparently yield 'date palm', so the overall meaning cannot be derived from the constituents.
Etymology
Phoenix dactylifera may come from old words: Phoenix was an old name for the date palm, and dactylifera means 'finger-bearer' because the sweet dates grow in long bunches that look like fingers. That's why the name fits this tall palm that produces edible dates.