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Glite Dictionary
beefsteak tomato

beefsteak tomato

1 2.7
A very large tomato that has thick, juicy flesh and is often eaten sliced in sandwiches or salads
  • noun
  • /ˈbifˌsteɪk təˈmeɪtoʊ/
translation icon : tomate beefsteak
  • ripe beefsteak tomato
  • large beefsteak tomato
  • juicy beefsteak tomato

Examples

  • "The temperature is perfect for Beefsteak tomatoes," said Josh.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • A juicy, sexy, beefsteak tomato!

    Tootsie (1982)

  • For a delicious salad, add slices of beefsteak tomato to the greens.

  • The recipe calls for a large beefsteak tomato, which can add a juicy flavor to the sandwich.

  • We enjoyed the fresh taste of grilled vegetables, especially the sliced beefsteak tomato on top.

Synonyms

tomato
vsbeefsteak tomato
428 1.0

A juicy round fruit usually red, sometimes yellow, eaten raw or cooked

is a very large variety with thick juicy flesh often sliced for sandwiches
cherry tomato
vsbeefsteak tomato
9 1.4

A small round sweet tomato you eat whole in salads or as a snack

is very large with thick flesh, usually sliced rather than eaten whole
plum tomato
vsbeefsteak tomato
2 2.2

An oval tomato often used for sauces and canning

is much larger and juicier, mainly eaten sliced in salads or sandwiches

How Big

beefsteak tomato
1 2.7
tomato
428 1.0
plum tomato
2 2.2

Surface Forms

beefsteak tomato singular
beefsteak tomatoes plural

Morphology

beefsteak + tomato

The phrase is compositional: 'beefsteak' evokes a large, thick-cut steak (large, fleshy), so combined with 'tomato' it straightforwardly denotes a large, thick, juicy variety of tomato. This mapping from constituent meanings to the compound sense is direct and cross-linguistically plausible, so a B1 learner who knows the parts can infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

The name beefsteak tomato may come from the tomato's very large, thick flesh that looks like a piece of beefsteak. That's why the name came to mean 'a very large, juicy tomato' used for slicing.