uvilla
uvilla Lexical Profile
• noun
The small, round, bright yellow-orange edible berry of the Physalis peruviana plant, which possesses a sweet and tart flavor and is characteristically enclosed in a papery, lantern-like husk.
"The pastry chef garnished the top of the cheesecake with a fresh uvilla to provide a burst of tropical tartness."
A perennial herbaceous plant of the nightshade family (Physalis peruviana) native to the high-altitude regions of the Andes in South America, cultivated widely for its distinctive husk-covered fruit.
"Farmers in the Andean valleys of Ecuador have cultivated the uvilla for generations, taking advantage of the region's ideal climate and soil."
Word Nuance & Usage
Although historically known as the Cape gooseberry in English, the fruit is increasingly marketed globally under its South American names 'uvilla' or 'aguaymanto', or as 'goldenberry' to appeal to the health food market.
• Rhymes for uvilla
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Spanish 'uvilla' (little grape), a diminutive form of 'uva' (grape), ultimately derived from the Latin 'uva'.