sloe
sloe Lexical Profile
sloe Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The small, bitter, bluish-black fruit of the blackthorn bush, traditionally harvested after the first frost to make preserves or flavor liqueurs.
"We spent the crisp autumn afternoon foraging for sloes in the hedgerows to make our own batch of sloe gin for Christmas."
The blackthorn bush (Prunus spinosa) itself, a spiny deciduous shrub native to Europe, western Asia, and locally in northwest Africa.
"The farmer planted a dense thicket of sloe to create an impenetrable natural barrier for the sheep."
Word Nuance & Usage
Most commonly encountered in modern usage within the compound 'sloe gin', a red liqueur made by infusing the berries in gin.
• Rhymes for sloe
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'slāh' or 'slā', of Germanic origin; related to Dutch 'slee' and German 'Schlehe'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.