Definition

Noun: * A broad and bushy Asiatic twining shrub (Euonymus fortunei), characterized by its pinkish fruit. It is a species with many subspecies or varieties.

Usage Notes

• This is a compound noun that serves as the common name for a specific plant species. It is typically used in botanical, horticultural, and gardening contexts.
• It is often written with a hyphen: .
• As a proper common name, it is not typically used in a figurative or idiomatic sense.

Examples

• The evergreen bittersweet is a popular ground cover in shaded gardens.
• We planted evergreen bittersweet along the fence for year-round foliage.
• The bright pink fruit of the evergreen bittersweet adds color to the winter landscape.

Advanced Usage

• The term is used to distinguish this specific, broad-leaved, shrubby species from other plants in the or genera that may also be called "bittersweet."

Variants and Related Words

• Euonymus fortunei: The botanical Latin name for this species.
• Wintercreeper: Another very common name for the same plant.
• Spindle: A common name for shrubs in the genus.
• Bittersweet: A more general term that can refer to other, often vining, plants in the genera (American bittersweet) or (climbing nightshade).

Synonyms

• Wintercreeper
• Fortune's spindle

Noun

1. broad and bushy Asiatic twining shrub with pinkish fruit; many subspecies or varieties