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Glite Dictionary
balsam apple

balsam apple

9.9
A tropical climbing plant with yellow flowers and bright orange bumpy fruit often grown for decoration or medicine
  • noun
  • /ˈbɔːlsəm ˈæpl/
  • Indian
translation icon : manzana bálsamo
  • Medicinal extracts from the balsam apple have been used in traditional remedies for centuries.

Examples

  • The bright orange skin of the balsam apple makes it a striking ornamental plant.

  • The gardener admired the unusual fruit of the balsam apple as it ripened in the greenhouse.

  • The balsam apple is known for its unique appearance.

  • Many gardeners appreciate the balsam apples for their ornamental value.

  • Medicinal extracts from the balsam apple have been used in traditional remedies for centuries.

  • The bright orange skin of the balsam apple makes it a striking ornamental plant.

  • The gardener admired the unusual fruit of the balsam apple as it ripened in the greenhouse.

Synonyms

Momordica balsamina
vsbalsam apple
  • Specialized
9.9

A tropical climbing vine with bright orange or red bumpy fruit called balsam apple

is the common name used for the same plant in ordinary contexts

Surface Forms

balsam apple singular
balsam apples plural

Morphology

balsam + apple

The term names a specific tropical gourd species and its sense is lexicalized rather than compositional; knowing 'balsam' (a resinous/medicinal substance) and 'apple' (a fruit) would not lead a B1 learner to the botanical meaning. Plant common names are often language-specific and misleading, so the overall meaning is not predictable from the parts.

Etymology

Balsam apple may come from how early plant-namers described it: they called it balsam because the plant gives a sticky, soothing 'balm' used as medicine, and they added apple because the bright, round fruit looked a little like an 'apple', so the name came to mean this tropical climbing plant.