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sorrel tree

8.6

A North American tree with rough bark, white fragrant flowers, sour leaves

noun
/ˈsɔrəl tri/

: sourwood

Leaves from the sorrel tree have a distinctly sour taste that gives the tree its common name.

Examples

The sorrel tree is known for its clusters of fragrant white flowers that bloom in late summer.
Hikers in the Appalachian region often encounter the sorrel tree growing along wooded slopes.
Look at the lovely sorrel tree in our backyard!
The sorrel tree blooms beautifully in spring.
Hikers in the Appalachian region often encounter the sorrel tree growing along wooded slopes.
Leaves from the sorrel tree have a distinctly sour taste that gives the tree its common name.
The sorrel tree is known for its clusters of fragrant white flowers that bloom in late summer.

Synonyms

sourwood

vssorrel tree

1 9.6

A tree with small white flowers that smell nice and leaves that taste sour

has identical description but differs only in the chosen common name

Oxydendrum arboreum

vssorrel tree

Specialized

9.9

A tree that loses its leaves, with sour leaves, deep rough bark and small white fragrant flowers

is the common everyday name rather than the scientific Latin label

How Sour

lemon tree

5 1.0

sorrel tree

8.6

Surface Forms

sorrel tree singular

sorrel trees plural

Morphology

sorrel + tree

The noun–noun composition denotes a type of tree characterized by sorrel-like (sour-tasting) leaves, so the meaning is directly derivable from 'sorrel' + 'tree' following common plant-naming patterns. This compositional pattern is cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

Sorrel tree was named because its leaves have a sharp, 'sour' taste. People used the word sorrel for plants with a tart flavour and added tree, so the name tells you the tree is known for its sour leaves.