family Moraceae
- noun
- /ˈfæmɪli mɔˈreɪsi/
- Specialized
- The mulberry tree belongs to the family Moraceae and is known for its sweet berries.
Examples
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The famous fig tree is a member of the family Moraceae, appreciated for its delicious fruit.
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Pipemo tentatively identified them as fruits from a tree of the family Moraceae, quite possibly durian or jackfruit, both of which are common throughout tropical Southeast Asia.
Academic text (1991) -
Some plants from the family Moraceae produce a milky sap that can be used in various applications.
Synonyms
A family of trees and shrubs whose members often have milky sap and include figs and mulberries
A family of trees and shrubs with milky sap like mulberry and fig
Surface Forms
Morphology
This is a straightforward taxonomic label combining 'family' (a scientific grouping) with the proper name 'Moraceae', so the overall meaning is directly compositional from its parts. Such family + taxon-name constructions are cross-linguistically common and predictable, so a learner who knows both constituents would understand the phrase.
Etymology
Family Moraceae comes from the old word 'morus' for the mulberry tree, so Moraceae points to mulberries and similar trees. 'Family' means a 'group of related plants', so Family Moraceae today is the name for the group that includes figs, mulberries and other trees with milky sap, and some scientists even put cannabis here.