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Glite Dictionary
squaw-bush

squaw-bush

9.9
A shrub that grows in dry California areas with three-part smelly leaves and edible fruit
  • noun
  • NSFW
translation icon : arbusto de squaw
  • She recognized the squaw-bush by its trifoliate leaves and distinctive scent.

Examples

  • The squaw-bush grows in dry, rocky areas of California.

  • Wildlife in the region feed on the edible fruit of the squaw-bush.

  • The squaw-bush grows abundantly in California.

  • Many birds feed on the fruit of the squaw-bush.

  • She recognized the squaw-bush by its trifoliate leaves and unpleasant smell.

  • The squaw-bush grows in dry, rocky areas throughout California.

  • Wildlife in California often feed on the edible fruit of the squaw-bush.

Synonyms

skunkbush
vssquaw-bush
  • US
1 9.9

A small California shrub with smelly leaves and red edible berries

is the same plant but written with a hyphenated name
squawbush
vssquaw-bush
  • NSFW
9.9

A small bush with strong-smelling three-part leaves and edible berries

is identical in meaning but spelled with a hyphen
Rhus trilobata
vssquaw-bush
  • Specialized
9.9

A small bush with leaves in three parts and small edible berries

is native specifically to California rather than the wider region

Surface Forms

squaw-bush singular
squaw-bushes plural

Morphology

squaw-bush = squaw + bush (semi-transparent) = squaw + bush

The compound is analyzable as 'squaw' + 'bush', but it is a conventional common name whose botanical reference is arbitrary and the modifier is an offensive ethnonym not informative for learners.

Etymology

Squaw-bush comes from two parts: squaw, from a Native American word for 'woman', and bush, meaning a shrub, so it originally meant a 'woman's bush' because the plant may have been used by women. Today the word squaw is considered offensive, so people often use other names for this California shrub.