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Glite Dictionary
Ribes nigrum

Ribes nigrum

6.7
A bush that produces edible black berries used in jams and drinks
  • noun
  • /ˈraɪbɪz ˈnaɪɡrəm/
  • Specialized
translation icon : grosella negra
  • Some gardeners prefer to plant Ribes nigrum because of its hardiness and high fruit yield.

Examples

  • The berries of Ribes nigrum are rich in vitamin C and used in jams and juices.

  • I love the taste of Ribes nigrum berries.

  • Ribes nigrum is cultivated in many countries for its distinctive black berries.

  • Have you ever tried Ribes nigrum in a smoothie?

  • The Ribes nigrum plant produces small, round, black berries that are rich in vitamin C.

  • In the garden, we planted several Ribes nigrum bushes to enjoy their tart flavor in jams and desserts.

  • Ribes nigrum is often used to make a refreshing syrup that can be added to drinks for flavor.

Synonyms

black currant
vsRibes nigrum
1 2.7

A small dark berry with a tart, strong taste used in jams and drinks

is about the plant species rather than the fruit itself
European black currant
vsRibes nigrum
  • UK
4.4

A shrub that produces small black berries used in jams and drinks

is the formal botanical species name for that same shrub

Surface Forms

Ribes nigrum singular
Ribes nigrum plural

Morphology

Ribes + nigrum

The name is a Latin binomial composed of a genus (Ribes, a currant-producing shrub) plus a Latin epithet (nigrum, ‘black’), so the sense 'black currant' is technically compositional. However, this relies on knowledge of Latin or taxonomic naming conventions that an average B1 learner is unlikely to have, making the relation only partially accessible.

Etymology

Ribes nigrum is a Latin name where Ribes may come from an old word for currant and nigrum means 'black' in Latin. So the name literally tells you it is the plant with black currant berries, which is why we use it for the black currant species.