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Glite Dictionary
mangosteen tree

mangosteen tree

8.1
A tropical evergreen tree that produces sweet purple fruit called mangosteen
  • noun
  • /ˈmæŋɡəˌstin tri/
  • Philippine
translation icon : mangostán
  • The mangosteen tree is known for its sweet purple fruit and leathery leaves.

Examples

  • In Southeast Asia, the mangosteen tree thrives in tropical climates.

  • Farmers often cultivate the mangosteen tree for its highly sought-after fruit.

  • "It grows a good twenty feet high," he said, giving her a picture of a mangosteen tree.

    Fiction book (1990)

Synonyms

mangosteen
vsmangosteen tree
  • Philippine
1 9.6

A tropical evergreen tree with thick leaves that produces sweet purple fruit

is the more formal species label rather than casual reference
Garcinia mangostana
vsmangosteen tree
  • Specialized
9.9

A tropical tree that produces mangosteen, a sweet round fruit

is the common everyday name used instead of a Latin label

How Big

mangosteen tree
  • Philippine
8.1
sapling
16 2.7
seedling
20 2.8

Surface Forms

mangosteen tree singular
mangosteen trees plural

Morphology

mangosteen + tree

This is a straightforward noun-noun composition: 'mangosteen' (the fruit/tree) + 'tree' yields the tree that produces mangosteens. The meaning is directly derivable from the constituents and follows a common, cross-linguistic pattern for naming plants, so a B1 learner who knows both words will understand it.

Etymology

Mangosteen tree gets its name from the fruit mangosteen. The fruit was called 'manggis' in Malay and the name reached English through Portuguese traders, so the phrase simply means 'the tree that makes the mangosteen fruit'.