sourwood
UK[ˈsaʊəwʊd]US[ˈsaʊərwʊd]
n
a north american tree (oxydendrum arboreum) of the heath family, with sour-tasting leaves and white bell-shaped flowers.
n
the hard, close-grained wood of this tree.
Morpheme Breakdown
sour
wood
sour
sour, acidic
wood
wood, tree
Etymology
the word sourwood is a transparent english compound, formed from two native old english roots. the first element, 'sour', directly describes the tree's most notable sensory feature—the distinctly acidic taste of its foliage. the second element, 'wood', functions in its common sense denoting a tree or the substance derived from it, similar to its use in words like 'hardwood' or 'ironwood'. this straightforward naming convention, where a plant is identified by a prominent physical trait combined with its category, is typical in english botanical terminology. thus, sourwood literally means "the tree with sour-tasting leaves," a name that accurately reflects its defining characteristic.
Analysis
Structure: sour (sour, acidic) + wood (wood, tree)
sour: from old english sūr, meaning 'having an acid taste'. in this compound, it describes the characteristic taste of the tree's leaves.
wood: from old english wudu, meaning 'tree, forest, wood (material)'. in this compound, it denotes a type of tree.
Examples
the sourwood tree is prized for its brilliant red fall foliage and its flowers that attract bees.
honey made from sourwood blossoms has a distinctive, delicate flavor.
the fine-grained sourwood is sometimes used for making tool handles and other small wooden items.