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Glite Dictionary
Pimenta officinalis

Pimenta officinalis

9.3
A tropical tree with small white flowers and berries used as the spice allspice
  • noun
  • /pɪˈmɛntə ˌɒfɪˈsɪnəlɪs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : pimienta de Jamaica
  • The aromatic berries of Pimenta officinalis are dried to make allspice.

Examples

  • The spice Pimenta officinalis is often used in Caribbean cuisine.

  • The leaves of Pimenta officinalis are often used in Caribbean cooking.

  • Botanists studied the growth patterns of Pimenta officinalis in the wild.

  • Have you ever tried cooking with Pimenta officinalis?

  • The aromatic berries of Pimenta officinalis are commonly used to flavor many dishes.

  • In Jamaica, Pimenta officinalis is known for its unique spice blend used in traditional recipes.

  • Many chefs prefer to use Pimenta officinalis for its distinct flavor in sauces and marinades.

Synonyms

Pimenta dioica
vsPimenta officinalis
  • Specialized
9.8

An evergreen tree from the Caribbean that makes berries called allspice

is the general tropical American tree also called by its common spice name
allspice tree
vsPimenta officinalis
6.6

A tropical tree whose dried berries people grind and use as a spice

is the broader term for the same tree without stressing species label
allspice
vsPimenta officinalis
4.9

A tropical tree that makes small berries with a strong smell used as a spice

is the tropical American tree identity, noted for small white flowers
pimento tree
vsPimenta officinalis
8.1

A tree that makes allspice berries used to flavor food

is the same tree but described more generally across the Americas

Surface Forms

Pimenta officinalis singular
Pimenta officinalis plural

Morphology

Pimenta + officinalis

This is a Latin taxonomic name: 'Pimenta' identifies the genus (a type of tree/allspice) and 'officinalis' denotes medicinal use, so a learner who knows those constituent meanings could infer it refers to a species of Pimenta with medicinal associations. However, the specific common-name sense ('allspice') and the detailed properties (tropical tree with aromatic berries) are not fully predictable from the binomial form, making the overall meaning only partially derivable.

Etymology

Pimenta officinalis comes from Pimenta, a word like 'pepper', because its dried berries smell like pepper mixed with cinnamon and cloves, and officinalis was a word for plants kept for medicine. So the name points to the spice we call 'allspice'.