Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
scarlet strawberry

scarlet strawberry

6.7
A wild strawberry plant from North America with small sweet red fruit
  • noun
  • /ˈskɑrlɪt ˈstrɔˌbɛri/
  • US
translation icon : fresa escarlata
  • Researchers traced the genetic origins of modern strawberries to the scarlet strawberry.

Examples

  • The forest floor was dotted with scarlet strawberries ripe for picking.

  • Many gardeners appreciate the hardiness of the scarlet strawberry plant.

  • The scarlet strawberry is a favorite among gardeners.

  • I found some scarlet strawberries in the forest.

  • The forest floor was dotted with scarlet strawberries ripe for picking.

  • Researchers traced the genetic origins of modern strawberries to the scarlet strawberry.

  • Many gardeners appreciate the hardiness of the scarlet strawberry plant.

Synonyms

Fragaria virginiana
vsscarlet strawberry
  • Specialized
9.1

A wild strawberry plant from North America that makes small sweet red fruit

is the common English term used instead of the Latin label
Virginia strawberry
vsscarlet strawberry
  • US
5.6

A wild North American plant that makes small sweet red berries used to breed garden varieties

is a more general common name rather than a regional one

Surface Forms

scarlet strawberry singular
scarlet strawberries plural

Morphology

scarlet + strawberry

This is a straightforward adjective + noun combination where 'scarlet' describes the color of the 'strawberry', so the overall meaning (a strawberry that is scarlet/red) is directly derivable from the constituents. Even if it names a particular species, the composition is transparent and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both words will understand it.

Etymology

Scarlet strawberry is named for its very red fruit: scarlet means bright red and strawberry is the small red berry. People long ago used these wild berries as the 'source' for the 'garden' strawberries we eat today, so the name reminds us it is the wild ancestor.