Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
white bryony

white bryony

9.9
A climbing vine with white flowers, thick roots, and small black poisonous berries
  • noun
  • UK
translation icon : bryonia blanca
  • White bryony climbs along the garden fence, its tendrils wrapping tightly around the posts.

Examples

  • The berries of white bryony should not be eaten, as they are considered poisonous.

  • During their hike through rural France, they spotted white bryony growing wild among the hedgerows.

  • The white bryony plant thrives in sunny areas.

  • Have you seen any white bryony in the garden?

  • During their hike through rural France, they spotted white bryony growing wild among the hedgerows.

  • The berries of white bryony should not be eaten, as they are considered poisonous.

  • White bryony climbs along the garden fence, its tendrils wrapping tightly around the posts.

Synonyms

devil's turnip
vswhite bryony
  • UK
9.9

A climbing plant with white flowers, a thick root, and small black berries

has identical meaning but uses a different common name
Bryonia alba
vswhite bryony
  • Specialized
9.9

A climbing plant with white flowers, thick roots, and small black berries

has the same meaning but uses a common everyday name

Surface Forms

white bryony singular
white bryonies plural

Morphology

white + bryony

This is a simple adjective + noun combination where 'white' specifies the color of the plant referred to by 'bryony', so the meaning 'a bryony that is white' is directly derivable from the parts. The construction follows a common cross-linguistic adjective-noun pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would understand the MWE even if the plant name itself is uncommon.

Etymology

White bryony is a name that shows what the plant looks like: white for its pale flowers, and bryony from an old word meaning 'to grow', a hint at its thick roots and the way it climbs. So the name helps you picture and remember this white-flowered climbing vine.