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soapberry

 - 3 dictionary results

soap⋅ber⋅ry

[sohp-ber-ee, -buh-ree]
–noun, plural -ries.
1. the fruit of any of certain tropical or subtropical trees of the genus Sapindus, esp. S. saponaria, used as a substitute for soap.
2. the tree itself.

Origin:
1685–95; soap + berry
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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soap·ber·ry   (sōp'běr'ē)   
n.  
    1. Any of various chiefly tropical trees of the genus Sapindus, having pulpy fruit that lathers like soap.

    2. The fruit of any of these trees.

  1. The buffalo berry.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Encyclopedia

soapberry

any member of the genus Sapindus, of the soapberry family (Sapindaceae), comprising about 12 species of shrubs and trees native to tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, the Americas, and islands of the Pacific

Learn more about soapberry with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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