sour gum

1 8.4

A tree that loses its leaves in autumn and has bright red leaves and small blue berries

noun
/ˈsaʊər ɡʌm/

: goma agria

We planted a sour gum in our backyard to add fall color to the landscape.

Examples

The sour gum is prized for its brilliant red foliage in autumn.
Birds feast on the small blue berries produced by the sour gum tree.
The sour gum tree is known for its beautiful fall foliage.
Many people admire the sour gum for its unique shape.
The sour gum tree displays stunning yellow and red leaves in the fall.
In the park, the sour gum stands out with its distinctive columnar shape.
During autumn, the sour gum tree transforms into a vibrant palette of colors.

Synonyms

black gum

vssour gum

Specialized

1 7.5

A tall tree in eastern North America with horizontal branches and bright red autumn leaves

is the same species but called by another common name

Nyssa sylvatica

vssour gum

Specialized

1 9.9

A tree from eastern North America that loses its leaves and turns bright red in autumn

is the same species but known by a different common name

pepperidge

vssour gum

9.9

A tree with a tall trunk, horizontal branches, and bright red autumn leaves

is the same species but uses a different regional common name

Surface Forms

sour gum singular

sour gums plural

Morphology

sour + gum

This is a straightforward adjective + noun compound: a gum (gum tree) that is described as 'sour'. A B1 learner who knows 'sour' (tart) and 'gum' (a type of tree) can infer it refers to a kind of gum tree with a sour quality; botanical specificity (exact species) is not required to understand the basic meaning. The compositional descriptive pattern is regular and cross-linguistically common, so the expression is transparent.

Etymology

Sour gum may come from the tree's small, sour berries and its sticky, gum-like sap. A tree with sour fruit and sticky gum is an easy picture to remember, which explains the name today.