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soapberry

soapberry

9.6
A tree or its fruit from warm countries that people use as natural soap
  • noun
  • /ˈsoʊpˌbɛri/
translation icon : baya de jabón

Examples

  • Clear red soapberries

    Fiction book (1998)
  • Such "rapid evolution" has also been observed in organisms ranging from zooplankton to soapberry bugs to finches.

    Blog text (3)
  • In one childcare setting, there are days specifically planned for making and eating traditional foods, including fried bread, dried fish, salmon, rice, soapberry drink, and berries.

    Academic text (2004)
  • When they spied another member of their family group, they congregated on a small clump of trees or often in the same tree, usually a mesquite or a small soapberry tree.

    Academic text (1990)
  • The soapberry tree produces fruit that can be used as a natural soap for washing.

  • Many indigenous communities have traditionally used soapberry to create a cleaning liquid.

  • The soapberry has a smooth texture and contains saponin, making it great for natural lathering.

Synonyms

soapberry tree
vssoapberry
8.9

A tree that makes berries used as natural soap

refers broadly to the genus tree or its fruit rather than a specific species
Sapindus
vssoapberry
  • Specialized
9.9

A tree or shrub that makes berries used as natural soap

is a specific tree or fruit used as soap, not the whole genus
Sapindus saponaria
vssoapberry
  • Specialized
9.8

An evergreen tree from tropical America with fruit used as a natural soap

is the general genus or fruit rather than one specific species
China tree
vssoapberry
  • US
9.9

An evergreen tree with soft fruit used as natural soap

is the general term for the genus or its fruit, not one species
Sapindus drumondii
vssoapberry
  • Specialized
9.9

A tree that loses its leaves and has soft fruit used as natural soap

is the general genus tree or fruit rather than that regional species
Sapindus marginatus
vssoapberry
  • Specialized
9.9

A tree from the southwestern United States that loses its leaves each year and has fruit used to make soap

is the broader genus or its fruit rather than a particular regional species

Compounds

soapberry family
  • Specialized
9.9

A group of mostly tropical trees and shrubs like the lychee that produce a soap-like poisonous substance

A tree that makes berries used as natural soap

A climbing plant with thin twisting stems that has pretty leaves and berries

Surface Forms

soapberry singular
soapberries plural

Morphology

soapberry = soap + berry (transparent) = soap + berry

The compound denotes a fruit (berry) characterized by soap-like properties (containing saponin), so the meaning is directly inferable from 'soap' + 'berry'.

Etymology

Soapberry is made of soap ('soap') and berry ('small fruit'), because the fruit makes a soapy foam and was used like a natural soap. So the name tells you this tree or its fruit can clean clothes.