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Glite Dictionary
Coumarouna odorata

Coumarouna odorata

9.9
A tall South American tree that makes fragrant black seeds used to add a sweet vanilla smell
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : tonka
  • The Coumarouna odorata tree is cultivated for its valuable seeds, known as tonka beans.

Examples

  • Perfume makers often use extracts from Coumarouna odorata to add a sweet, vanilla-like scent.

  • The Coumarouna odorata tree can grow up to 20 meters tall.

  • Harvesting Coumarouna odorata helps support local economies in parts of South America.

  • Many chefs use Coumarouna odorata for its unique flavor.

  • The Coumarouna odorata tree produces pods that contain fragrant seeds used in desserts.

  • Many chefs incorporate Coumarouna odorata seeds into their recipes for added flavor.

  • Extracts from Coumarouna odorata are popular among perfumers for their sweet aroma.

Synonyms

tonka bean tree
vsCoumarouna odorata
  • Specialized
9.9

A tall tropical South American tree that produces fragrant seeds for flavoring

uses a different formal scientific name rather than the common product name
Dipteryx odorata
vsCoumarouna odorata
  • Specialized
9.9

A tall South American tree whose fragrant black seeds flavor food

frames the tree as the main source of that flavoring instead of seed focus

Surface Forms

Coumarouna odorata singular
Coumarouna odoratas plural

Morphology

Coumarouna + odorata

The epithet 'odorata' is transparently related to English 'odour' and would allow a learner who knows the genus name to infer a literal meaning like 'scented Coumarouna' or 'fragrant Coumarouna'. However, the specific encyclopedic information (that it is the source of tonka beans and the full botanical sense) and the Latin binomial naming convention go beyond simple compositional meaning, so the predictability is partial.

Etymology

Coumarouna odorata is a tall South American tree that makes black, almond-shaped seeds called 'tonka beans' which smell sweet and a little 'vanilla-like'. Because people used these seeds for perfume and flavor, the name points to the tree that gives those fragrant seeds.