wayfaring tree

9.9

A strong European bush with groups of white flowers and berries that turn red then black

noun

: árbol de viburno

The wayfaring tree blooms beautifully in spring.

Examples

She researched the medicinal uses of the wayfaring tree for a local gardening project.
Birds are drawn to the berries of the wayfaring tree as they ripen from red to black.
The wayfaring tree blooms in late spring, producing attractive clusters of white flowers.
Many wayfaring trees line the old country roads.
The wayfaring tree is known for its beautiful white flowers that bloom in spring.
During our hike, we spotted a wayfaring tree with clusters of red berries along the trail.
In the garden, the wayfaring tree adds a vibrant touch with its seasonal color changes.

Synonyms

Viburnum lantana

vswayfaring tree

Specialized

9.9

A European bush that loses its leaves and has red berries that turn black

is the familiar common name rather than the scientific name

twist wood

vswayfaring tree

9.9

A bush that loses its leaves and has red berries that turn black when ripe

is the familiar single expression used instead of the spaced variant

twistwood

vswayfaring tree

9.9

A strong bush that grows by roads, loses its leaves and has red berries that turn black

is the familiar multiword name used instead of the single-word variant

Surface Forms

wayfaring tree singular

wayfaring trees plural

Morphology

wayfaring + tree

The phrase is compositionally transparent: 'wayfaring' (traveling along paths/waysides) plus 'tree' yields the readily inferable idea of a tree that grows by waysides. Although the botanical referent is actually a shrub and 'wayfaring' is somewhat literary, a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer the general meaning.

Etymology

Wayfaring tree may come from the simple image of a wayfaring person and a tree that grows by the road. Because the shrub often stands along paths where 'travellers' could pick its berries or use its leaves for medicine, the name came to mean a roadside shrub.