pitanga
pitanga Lexical Profile
• noun
A small, deeply ribbed, cherry-like fruit native to tropical South America, which turns from green to bright red or dark crimson when ripe and possesses a sweet, tangy flavor.
"She harvested a basket of ripe pitanga from the garden to make a sweet, tart jam."
A broadleaf evergreen shrub or small tree (Eugenia uniflora) in the myrtle family, native to the east coast of South America and commonly cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions as an ornamental plant or fruit-bearing hedge.
"The dense foliage of the pitanga makes it an excellent choice for a privacy hedge in subtropical climates."
• Rhymes for pitanga
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Portuguese 'pitanga', which derives from the Old Tupi word 'pitanga' meaning 'red' or 'reddish', a reference to the vivid color of the mature fruit.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.