sour fig

9.2

A low plant from South Africa with thick leaves that makes small edible fruit

noun

South African

: higo agrio

We tasted the tangy fruit of the sour fig while hiking along the coast.

Examples

The sour fig is often used to make jams in South Africa.
The sour fig is native to South Africa.
A patch of sour fig covered the rocky ground, its pink flowers in bloom.
Many people enjoy the taste of sour figs.
We tasted the tangy fruit of the sour fig while hiking along the coast.
A patch of sour fig covered the rocky ground, its pink flowers in bloom.
The sour fig is often used to make jams in South Africa.

Synonyms

Carpobrotus edulis

vssour fig

Specialized

9.9

A low plant with thick leaves used as ground cover that has edible fruit

is the common name used instead of the botanical form

Mesembryanthemum edule

vssour fig

Specialized

9.9

A low spreading South African plant with thick leaves and sour, edible fruit

is the familiar common name rather than the scientific alternative

Hottentot fig

vssour fig

NSFW

9.9

A low plant with thick, fleshy leaves and sweet edible fruit from South Africa

is the common English name used for that same plant

Hottentot's fig

vssour fig

NSFW

9.9

A low plant with thick leaves that grows on coastal sand and has edible fruit

is the common name without the possessive apostrophe

Surface Forms

sour fig singular

sour figs plural

Morphology

sour + fig

The phrase 'sour fig' is a straightforward noun compound describing a fig-like plant or fruit with a tart taste, so its meaning is directly derivable from 'sour' (tart) + 'fig' (the fruit). Even if learners don't know the specific species, a B1 learner who knows both words can infer it refers to a plant/fruit with a sour flavor, so the expression is compositionally transparent.

Etymology

Sour fig comes from the plant's sour, fig-like fruit. People made jam from its soft pulp, so the words sour and fig describe the taste and look of the fruit and explain the name.