allspice tree

6.6

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

noun
/ˈɔlˌspaɪs tri/

: pimienta de Jamaica

Dried berries from the allspice tree are ground and used in baking and cooking.

Examples

The allspice tree is native to the Caribbean and widely grown in Jamaica.
Many chefs love using the berries from the allspice tree.
Botanists visited the grove to study the aromatic leaves of the allspice tree.
The allspice tree is native to the Caribbean.
Dried berries from the allspice tree are ground and used in baking and cooking.
Botanists visited the grove to study the aromatic leaves of the allspice tree.
The allspice tree is native to the Caribbean and widely grown in Jamaica.

Synonyms

Pimenta dioica

vsallspice tree

Specialized

9.8

An evergreen tree from the Caribbean that makes berries called allspice

is the everyday name used instead of the scientific label

Pimenta officinalis

vsallspice tree

Specialized

9.3

A tropical tree with small white flowers and berries used as the spice allspice

is the common everyday name rather than that scientific label

allspice

vsallspice tree

4.9

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

is the two-word name that stresses the tree rather than the product

pimento tree

vsallspice tree

8.1

A tree that makes allspice berries used to flavor food

uses a different common name rather than that alternative label

spice tree

vsallspice tree

5.1

A tree that makes bark or berries used to flavor food

is a specific tropical species rather than a general spice-producing tree

Surface Forms

allspice tree singular

allspice trees plural

Morphology

allspice + tree

The compound 'allspice tree' is directly compositional: it denotes the tree associated with the spice 'allspice' (allspice + tree). This noun+noun formation follows common cross-linguistic patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

The noun allspice tree comes from the spice allspice. One popular story says early European sailors thought the spice tasted like a mix of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, so they called it 'all spices', and the plant that makes the berries became known as the allspice tree.