Serviceberry

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A flowering shrub or small tree that produces edible berries and is favored for ornamental beauty
2. A plant within the Amelanchier genus celebrated for its decorative blossoms and fruitfulness
3. A type of small tree or shrub known for its attractive flowers and berries that can be eaten

Etymology: The name sounds like a blend of "service" and "berry," but the first part has nothing to do with assistance. It comes from Latin "sorbus," the name of the rowan or sorb tree, a relative of the apple whose clusters of red berries it resembles. English speakers reshaped that unfamiliar word into "service," a common term they already knew, so the plant's name drifted into an everyday compound. The result is a case of folk etymology: the spelling and sound suggest a berry offered in service, yet the original word was simply the name of a tree. Once "service" took hold, the name stuck, and the "berry" half was added to describe the fruit the shrub produces.

Synonyms: amelanchier