sloe

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun wild plum of northeastern United States having dark purple fruits with yellow flesh
  2. noun a thorny Eurasian bush with plumlike fruits
  3. noun small sour dark purple fruit of especially the Allegheny plum bush

Etymology

From Middle English slo, sla, sloo, from Old English slā, slāh, from Proto-West Germanic *slaihā, from Proto-Germanic *slaihǭ, *slaihwō, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)leh₃y- (“bluish”). Doublet of Sliwa.

In classic literature

Synonyms

Allegheny plum, Alleghany plum, Prunus alleghaniensis

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