Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
passion tree

passion tree

7.0
A plant with pretty flowers that grows sweet passionfruit
  • noun
translation icon : planta de la pasión
  • Many gardeners choose the passion tree for its colorful blossoms and sweet scent.

Examples

  • The fruit harvested from our passion tree makes delicious juice.

  • The passion tree blooms beautifully in spring.

  • A passion tree can add a tropical touch to any garden.

  • I planted a passion tree in my garden last year.

  • The passion tree produces vibrant flowers that attract butterflies.

  • In the summer, the fruit of the passion tree is ripe and ready to eat.

  • Gardeners often admire the unique shape of the leaves on a passion tree.

Synonyms

passionflower
vspassion tree
1 7.2

A climbing plant with colorful flowers and edible fruit

is the general name for these flowering plants and edible fruits
passionflower vine
vspassion tree
  • US
7.0

A climbing plant with bright flowers that sometimes bears sweet fruit

is used more broadly and not limited to climbing forms
Passiflora edulis
vspassion tree
  • Specialized
7.5

A tropical climbing vine that produces edible purple passion fruit

is broader referring to many related plants not just this species
Passiflora
vspassion tree
  • Specialized
9.0

A group of flowering plants called passionflowers or passion vines

is a specific plant type usually meaning the common cultivated form

Surface Forms

passion tree singular
passion trees plural

Morphology

passion + tree

The compound follows the regular 'X tree' pattern (like 'apple tree'), so a learner could infer it denotes a tree associated with 'passion' (i.e., the passionflower/passionfruit). However, 'passion' usually denotes an emotion and the botanical senses commonly appear as 'passionfruit' or 'passionflower', so the specific plant reference is not fully predictable for a B1 learner. This partial predictability makes it only partially transparent.

Etymology

Passion tree gets its name from a popular story by early Christian missionaries who saw parts of the flower as signs of Christ's passion or 'suffering'. Because of that strong image, people called the plant the passion tree, and today the name refers to the showy flower and sweet fruit.