yaupon holly
- noun
- /ˈjɔːpɒn ˈhɒli/
- US
:
acebo yaupon
- Birds are often attracted to the yaupon holly because of its abundant red berries that provide food during the winter months.
Examples
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In the garden, the yaupon holly adds a touch of greenery and vibrant color with its plentiful red berries.
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The yaupon holly is famous for its glossy leaves and clusters of red berries in the winter.
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Coffee is from plants in the Rubiaceae family, and if you didn't have any of those around, the caffeine could be obtained from the toasted leaves of the Yaupon Holly (Southeastern US).
Blog text (34)
Synonyms
15
2.0
A tree or bush with shiny green prickly leaves and red berries
A North American holly plant with leaves used to make tea that has caffeine
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase names a specific type of holly: 'yaupon' identifies the species and 'holly' denotes the evergreen plant, so a learner who knows both constituent meanings can infer it is a particular holly shrub. This is a straightforward noun-modifier compound following common English composition patterns, making the meaning directly derivable from its parts.
Etymology
Yaupon holly may come from a Native American word for the shrub, and Native Americans brewed a strong 'tea' from its leaves. The word holly was added because the plant looks like English holly with small leaves and red berries, so the name points to this evergreen shrub and its use as a 'tea'.