CHINABERRY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does chinaberry mean? 

• CHINABERRY (noun)
  The noun CHINABERRY has 2 senses:

1. evergreen of tropical America having pulpy fruit containing saponin which was used as soap by Native Americans

2. tree of northern India and China having purple blossoms and small inedible yellow fruits; naturalized in the southern United States as a shade tree

  Familiarity information: CHINABERRY used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CHINABERRY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Evergreen of tropical America having pulpy fruit containing saponin which was used as soap by Native Americans

Classified under:

Nouns denoting plants

Synonyms:

China tree; chinaberry; false dogwood; jaboncillo; Sapindus saponaria

Hypernyms ("chinaberry" is a kind of...):

soapberry; soapberry tree (a tree of the genus Sapindus whose fruit is rich in saponin)

Holonyms ("chinaberry" is a member of...):

genus Sapindus; Sapindus (type genus of the Sapindaceae)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Tree of northern India and China having purple blossoms and small inedible yellow fruits; naturalized in the southern United States as a shade tree

Classified under:

Nouns denoting plants

Synonyms:

azedarach; azederach; China tree; chinaberry; chinaberry tree; Melia azedarach; Melia azederach; Persian lilac; pride-of-India

Hypernyms ("chinaberry" is a kind of...):

tree (a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms)

Holonyms ("chinaberry" is a member of...):

genus Melia; Melia (type genus of the Meliaceae: East Indian and Australian deciduous trees with leaves resembling those of the ash)