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Glite Dictionary
portia tree

portia tree

9.9
A tropical coastal tree with heart-shaped leaves and yellow and purple flowers
  • noun
  • /ˈpɔrʧə tri/
translation icon : árbol portia
  • The portia tree is often planted along shorelines to prevent erosion.

Examples

  • Artisans prize the dense wood of the portia tree for making fine carvings.

  • The seeds of the portia tree are pressed to produce a valuable oil.

  • Look at that portia tree!

  • The portia tree is beautiful.

  • Artisans prize the dense wood of the portia tree for making fine carvings.

  • The portia tree is often planted along shorelines to prevent erosion.

  • The seeds of the portia tree are pressed to produce a valuable oil.

Synonyms

Thespesia populnea
vsportia tree
  • Specialized
9.9

A tropical coastal tree with heart-shaped leaves, bright yellow flowers, and seeds that make oil

is the common regional name for the same coastal ornamental species
seaside mahoe
vsportia tree
  • Specialized
9.9

A tropical coastal tree with heart-shaped leaves, bright yellow and purple flowers, and red wood prized by carpenters

is an alternative common name used for the same species in different areas

Surface Forms

portia tree singular
portia trees plural

Morphology

portia + tree

Learners who know 'tree' will immediately infer that 'portia tree' names a kind of tree, so the basic category is transparent. However, 'Portia' is a proper name (and here lexical information is absent), so the specific botanical properties and the idiomatic sense cannot be derived from the constituents, making the overall meaning only partially predictable.

Etymology

The portia tree may get its name from 'port' because people first found it near harbors and shorelines, where sailors and islanders used its hard, reddish wood and seed oil. So the name helps you remember a coastal tree prized for its wood and oil.