soursop: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowSpecialist/Technical (Botany, Horticulture, Culinary)
Quick answer
What does “soursop” mean?
A tropical fruit with a green, spiky skin, white fibrous pulp, and a sweet-sour flavour.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A tropical fruit with a green, spiky skin, white fibrous pulp, and a sweet-sour flavour.
The evergreen tree (Annona muricata) that produces this fruit, native to tropical regions of the Americas and widely cultivated.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The term is used identically in both varieties.
Connotations
Evokes tropical/exotic produce, health food contexts (due to associated health claims), and specific ethnic cuisines (e.g., Caribbean, Latin American, Southeast Asian).
Frequency
Equally low frequency in both varieties, encountered mainly in international food markets, botanical texts, or travel contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “soursop” in a Sentence
[verb] + soursop: grow, eat, peel, blend, harvest soursop[adjective] + soursop: ripe, overripe, tropical, spiky soursopVocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
In import/export of tropical fruits or health supplements.
Academic
In botanical, agricultural, or ethnopharmacological research.
Everyday
When discussing exotic fruits, recipes, or travels.
Technical
In horticulture guides or pharmacological studies (regarding its compounds).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “soursop”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “soursop”
- Misspelling as 'sour sop' (two words). It is a closed compound.
- Confusing it with other Annona species like cherimoya or sugar-apple.
- Using it as a verb or adjective. It is almost exclusively a noun.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Soursop is one species within the Annona genus, which is also called the custard apple family. 'Custard apple' can refer to other species like Annona reticulata, so they are related but not identical.
Yes, the soft, creamy white pulp inside is typically eaten raw, scooped from the skin and seeds. It is also widely used in beverages, desserts, and candies.
It is marketed as a 'superfruit' due to its high vitamin C content and the presence of bioactive compounds. However, medicinal claims about treating serious illnesses are not substantiated by robust clinical evidence.
In temperate countries, it can be found in frozen pulp form, as juice, or occasionally as fresh fruit in specialty markets serving Caribbean, Latin American, or Asian communities.
A tropical fruit with a green, spiky skin, white fibrous pulp, and a sweet-sour flavour.
Soursop is usually specialist/technical (botany, horticulture, culinary) in register.
Soursop: in British English it is pronounced /ˈsaʊə.sɒp/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈsaʊər.sɑːp/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: It looks SOUR (green and spiky) on the outside, but you SOP up the sweet juice from the inside.
Conceptual Metaphor
N/A (primarily a concrete noun).
Practice
Quiz
What is another common name for soursop?