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purple apricot

purple apricot

9.3
A small fruit tree with purple twigs, white flowers, and purple fruit grown mainly for its looks
  • noun
translation icon : albaricoque púrpura
  • The purple apricot is prized more for its unusual appearance than for its taste.

Examples

  • Despite its attractive color, the purple apricot is rarely grown for commercial fruit production.

  • The purple apricot tree blooms beautifully in spring.

  • Botanists have documented the purple apricot in several regions of Central Asia.

  • I bought a purple apricot at the market.

  • The purple apricot is prized more for its unusual appearance than for its taste.

  • Despite its attractive color, the purple apricot is rarely grown for commercial fruit production.

  • Botanists have documented the purple apricot in several regions of Central Asia.

Synonyms

Prunus dasycarpa
vspurple apricot
  • Specialized
9.9

A small hybrid apricot tree from Asia with purple twigs, white flowers, and small purple fruit

is the common descriptive name used in everyday contexts
black apricot
vspurple apricot
  • Indian
9.9

A small apricot tree from Asia that makes purple fruit

is the formal Latin botanical name used in scientific contexts

Surface Forms

Morphology

purple + apricot

This is a straightforward adjective + noun combination: 'purple' modifies 'apricot', so a learner who knows both words will infer it refers to an apricot that is purple. The additional botanical and evaluative details in the definition are specific refinements but do not alter the compositional, non-idiomatic nature of the phrase, making it immediately understandable.

Etymology

Purple apricot is named for how the tree and its fruit look: the twigs and fruit are purple while the flowers are white. Because the apricot was not very good to eat, people grew the tree for its unusual 'appearance' rather than for its 'taste', so the name points to its color and why it was valued.