nutmeg family

7.9

A group of tropical trees that have scented seeds used as spices like nutmeg

noun
/ˈnʌtˌmɛg ˈfæmɪli/

Specialized

: familia de la nuez moscada

The nutmeg family includes several tropical trees with valuable aromatic seeds.

Examples

The most famous member of the nutmeg family is the tree that produces culinary nutmeg.
Species in the nutmeg family are cultivated for their spices and hardwood.
The nutmeg family includes several aromatic trees.
Did you know that the nutmeg family is native to Indonesia?
Many spices, such as nutmeg and mace, come from the nutmeg family of trees.
The nutmeg family consists of various species prized for their fragrant seeds.
In addition to nutmeg, the nutmeg family includes less-known aromatic trees like the mace tree.

Synonyms

Myristicaceae

vsnutmeg family

Specialized

9.9

A family of tropical trees like the nutmeg tree whose seeds have a soft cover and a strong smell

focuses on seeds with an aril rather than naming included species

family Myristicaceae

vsnutmeg family

Specialized

9.9

A group of tropical trees that includes the nutmeg tree and produces spice seeds

mentions that the family includes a well known spice tree rather than seed fleshiness

Surface Forms

nutmeg family singular

nutmeg families plural

Morphology

nutmeg + family

The phrase combines the known noun 'nutmeg' with 'family' in the common noun–noun compounding pattern to mean the group or taxonomic family that includes nutmeg, so the overall sense is directly inferable. Although 'family' in the biological sense is somewhat specialized, the composition is transparent and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will likely understand the meaning.

Etymology

Nutmeg family names a 'family' or 'group' of related trees that includes the tree that produces the spice nutmeg. So, it means the group of trees related to the nutmeg tree and known for their fragrant seeds.