vinifera

noun

vi·​nif·​era vī-ˈni-f(ə-)rə How to pronounce vinifera (audio)
plural vinifera or viniferas
: a common European grape (Vitis vinifera) that is the chief source of Old World wine and table grape varieties
vinifera adjective

Examples of vinifera in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Before the colonists’ vinifera vines died, however, the wind carried their pollen to wild grapevines nearby. Alex Mayyasi, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Nov. 2023 At Davis, Walker bred grapes with resistance to Pierce’s disease, which kills vinifera but not American grapes, that was still 97 percent vinifera. Alex Mayyasi, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Nov. 2023 There are three basic types: American (Vitis labrusca), European (Vitis vinifera), and muscadines (Vitis rotundifolia). Arricca Elin Sansone, Country Living, 15 June 2023 Walker isolated a Pierce's disease-resistant gene in a wild American grape species, then crossed it with Vitis vinifera. Esther Mobley, San Francisco Chronicle, 20 May 2021 Centuries later, Spanish missionaries and conquistadors introduced European vinifera vines to the Americas, Dutch traders planted vineyards in South Africa and British colonists brought vines to Australia and New Zealand. Dave McIntyre, Washington Post, 2 Mar. 2023 Virtually all of our vineyards are planted with European imports, specifically the grapevine species Vitis vinifera. Esther Mobley, San Francisco Chronicle, 19 May 2021 The history of vinifera in California is inextricable from the history of colonization. Esther Mobley, San Francisco Chronicle, 19 May 2021 After many generations of breeding, the resulting grapes are genetically 97.5% vinifera, with the remaining 2.5% just enough to confer that disease resistance. Esther Mobley, San Francisco Chronicle, 20 May 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'vinifera.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin vinifer wine-producing, from vinum wine

First Known Use

1888, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of vinifera was in 1888

Dictionary Entries Near vinifera

Cite this Entry

“Vinifera.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vinifera. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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