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Glite Dictionary
fragrant sumac

fragrant sumac

7.7
A low shrub with three-part leaves and red fruit that smell sweet when crushed
  • noun
  • US
translation icon : sumaque fragante
  • The fragrant sumac thrives in sunny areas.

Examples

  • In autumn, the foliage of fragrant sumac turns a brilliant red.

  • The leaves of the fragrant sumac release a pleasant aroma when crushed.

  • We planted a fragrant sumac in the garden to attract birds and butterflies.

  • We saw a beautiful fragrant sumac during our hike.

  • Walking through the garden, I stopped to admire the lovely fragrant sumac with its sweet scent wafting in the air.

  • The fragrant sumac adds a delightful aroma to the landscape during the blooming season.

  • In the fall, the red hairy fruit of the fragrant sumac becomes a striking feature of the shrub.

Synonyms

lemon sumac
vsfragrant sumac
  • US
8.1

A small tree or shrub with leaves made of three parts, thin yellow-green flower clusters, and red hairy fruit

is an alternative common name used for that same plant
Rhus aromatica
vsfragrant sumac
  • Specialized
9.9

A small shrub with scented leaves, yellow green flower spikes and red hairy berries

is the common English name used instead of the Latin label

Surface Forms

fragrant sumac singular
fragrant sumacs plural

Morphology

fragrant + sumac

The phrase combines the adjective 'fragrant' (sweet-smelling) with the noun 'sumac' (a shrub), so its meaning—a sumac that emits a pleasant scent—is directly derivable from the constituent words. This is a literal descriptive adjective+noun construction common across languages, not idiomatic, so a B1 learner who knows both words would understand it.

Etymology

The plant fragrant sumac gets its name from the strong scent of its leaves. When you crush the leaves the air fills with a 'pleasant smell', so fragrant points to that scent and sumac names the small shrub.