goose plum

9.8

A wild plum tree from eastern and central North America that makes red-orange fruit with yellow flesh

noun

: ciruela de ganso

He made a delicious jam from a basket of freshly picked goose plums.

Examples

The woods behind her house were filled with goose plum trees in early summer.
Birds often feast on the ripe fruit of the goose plum in August.
I picked a ripe goose plum from the tree.
The goose plums are ready for harvest in late summer.
In late summer, families often gather to collect the sweet, red-orange fruit of the goose plum trees.
The goose plum has a rich flavor that makes it perfect for making pies and desserts.
We spotted several wild goose plum trees while hiking in the forest this weekend.

Synonyms

plum

vsgoose plum

7 1.0

A tree that grows edible round or oval fruit with one hard stone

is more specific referring to one native wild tree with red orange fruit

plum tree

vsgoose plum

1 1.1

A tree that grows plums you can eat

is narrower in meaning denoting one native species with red orange fruit

American red plum

vsgoose plum

1 4.8

A wild plum tree from eastern and central North America with red fruit and yellow flesh

is a regional name for the same species rather than a different species

August plum

vsgoose plum

8.8

A wild plum tree in eastern and central North America that makes red-orange fruit with yellow flesh

is the same in meaning but functions as an alternate common name

Prunus americana

vsgoose plum

Specialized

9.3

A wild plum tree from eastern and central North America that has red-orange fruit with yellow inside

is the common name for the same species rather than its scientific label

wild plum tree

vsgoose plum

4.4

A small tree or bush that grows naturally and has small plum fruits

is a specific native species noted for red orange fruit and yellow flesh

Surface Forms

goose plum singular

goose plums plural

Morphology

goose + plum

This is a simple modifier+noun compound where 'goose' specifies a kind of 'plum' (i.e., a variety or plum tree). A B1 learner who knows both words would naturally infer it refers to a type of plum (or plum tree), even if they would not know botanical specifics, so the composition is transparent.

Etymology

Goose plum may come from the sight of wild geese eating small plum-like fruit near ponds in late summer, so people began to call the tree by that name. That's why goose plum now means 'a wild plum tree with small red-orange fruit'.