chinaberry

chi·na·ber·ry  (chn-br)

n.

A deciduous Asian tree (Melia azedarach), widely cultivated and naturalized in the southern United States and having bipinnately compound leaves, clusters of purplish flowers, and yellow, globose, poisonous fruits. Also called China tree.

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chinaberry [ˈtʃaɪnəbərɪ]

n pl -ries

1. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Plants) Also called China tree azedarach a spreading Asian meliaceous tree, Melia azedarach, widely grown in the US for its ornamental white or purple flowers and beadlike yellow fruits

2. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Plants) another name for soapberry

3. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Plants) the fruit of any of these trees

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	chinaberry - evergreen of tropical America having pulpy fruit containing saponin which was used as soap by Native Americans China tree, false dogwood, jaboncillo, Sapindus saponaria soapberry, soapberry tree - a tree of the genus Sapindus whose fruit is rich in saponin genus Sapindus, Sapindus - type genus of the Sapindaceae
	2.	chinaberry - tree of northern India and China having purple blossoms and small inedible yellow fruits; naturalized in the southern United States as a shade tree chinaberry tree, Melia azedarach, Melia azederach, Persian lilac, pride-of-India, azedarach, azederach, China tree genus Melia, Melia - type genus of the Meliaceae: East Indian and Australian deciduous trees with leaves resembling those of the ash tree - a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms