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Glite Dictionary
Ribes grossularia

Ribes grossularia

9.9
A spiny shrub from Eurasia that has tart round berries called gooseberries
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Ribes grossularia
  • The berries of Ribes grossularia are often used to make pies and preserves.

Examples

  • I planted a Ribes grossularia in my garden last spring.

  • Botanists studied the growth patterns of Ribes grossularia in various soil types.

  • A hedge of Ribes grossularia separates the garden from the orchard.

  • The Ribes grossularia plant thrives in temperate climates.

  • The berries of Ribes grossularia are tart and often used in desserts.

  • A hedge of Ribes grossularia provides a natural border between our yard and the neighbor's.

  • I enjoy picking Ribes grossularia from the bush in late summer.

Synonyms

gooseberry
vsRibes grossularia
4 4.5

A small round sour fruit that grows on a low bush

is the precise Eurasian species name for that fruit and plant
Ribes uva-crispa
vsRibes grossularia
  • Specialized
9.9

A small spiny bush that grows tart green or red berries called gooseberries used in jams

is the specific scientific name for that same shrub species
gooseberry bush
vsRibes grossularia
6.8

A small spiny bush that produces edible green or red berries

is the scientific species term rather than the general shrub phrase

Surface Forms

Ribes grossularia singular
Ribes grossulariae plural

Morphology

Ribes + grossularia

This is a botanical Latin binomial: the first element 'Ribes' identifies the genus (shrubs producing currants and gooseberries), so a learner who knows that can infer this is a specific type of Ribes. However the species epithet 'grossularia' is not an English lexical item and does not transparently convey the common name or distinctive features to a B1 learner, so the overall meaning is only partially predictable.

Etymology

Ribes grossularia is the scientific name for the gooseberry bush: Ribes is the plant genus and grossularia comes from an old word for 'gooseberry', so the name points to the small round berries people use in pies and jams.