strawberry tomato
- noun
- Specialized
- She planted strawberry tomatoes in her garden for their sweet, tangy flavor.
Examples
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The strawberry tomato thrives in well-drained soils and produces fruits in midsummer.
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I bought some strawberry tomatoes at the farmer's market.
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Many gardeners grow strawberry tomato for its unusual appearance and delicious yellow fruits.
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The strawberry tomato is a unique fruit.
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Many gardeners grow strawberry tomato for its unusual appearance and delicious yellow fruits.
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She planted strawberry tomatoes in her garden for their sweet, tangy flavor.
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The strawberry tomato thrives in well-drained soils and produces fruits in midsummer.
Synonyms
A small plant that makes sweet yellow fruits inside a paper husk
Surface Forms
Morphology
A B1 learner who knows 'strawberry' and 'tomato' can infer this refers to a fruit-related item (likely a small or strawberry-like tomato), so there is a clear compositional cue. However, the specific referent (Physalis with yellow fruits enclosed in a papery husk) and the mismatch with expected color/appearance are not fully predictable from the constituents, so prior exposure is needed for the precise meaning.
Etymology
Strawberry tomato gets its name from the fruit's look and taste: the tiny round fruit looks like a small tomato and tastes a bit like a strawberry, and it grows inside a thin paper husk. So the name gives you a simple picture to remember this small, sweet, 'hidden' fruit.