Standard Lemma guide

soapberry

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

Any woody plant of the Sapindaceae family, found chiefly in tropical climates, most commonly the genus Sapindus.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Narrower terms: ackee

2

noun

Meaning 2

The fruit of such a plant, especially of the tree Sapindus saponaria.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: soapnut

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a tree of the genus Sapindus whose fruit is rich in saponin

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: soapberry tree

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: tree

Narrower terms: wild China tree, Sapindus drumondii, Sapindus marginatus, China tree, false dogwood, jaboncillo, chinaberry, Sapindus saponaria

History

Etymology

From soap + berry: the fleshy part of the fruit was used in washing linen.

Across languages

Translations

27 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: сапунено дърво (sapuneno dǎrvo) — woody plant
  • Dutch: zeepboom — woody plant
  • Dutch: sapindus — woody plant
  • French: savonnier — woody plant
  • Gujarati: અરીઠો (arīṭho) — woody plant
  • Polish: mydleniec — woody plant
  • Spanish: jaboncillo — woody plant
  • Spanish: chambimbe — woody plant
  • Spanish: choloque — woody plant
  • Spanish: chumico — woody plant
  • Spanish: isotoubo — woody plant
  • Spanish: jorupe — woody plant
  • Spanish: marikuru — woody plant
  • Spanish: pacún — woody plant
  • Spanish: paraparo — woody plant
  • Turkish: sabun ağacı — woody plant
  • Volapük: sapind — woody plant
  • Ahtna: łigigeʼ — its fruit
  • Dutch: zeepbes — its fruit
  • Dutch: zeepbezie — its fruit
  • Dutch: zeep-appel — its fruit
  • Dutch: zeepnoot — its fruit
  • Gujarati: અરીઠું (arīṭhũ) — its fruit
  • Newar: हथं (hathaṃ) — its fruit
  • Polish: mydleniec — its fruit
  • Spanish: parapara — its fruit
  • Volapük: sapindafluk — its fruit