apple of Sodom

apple of Sod·​om
-ˈsädəm
1
a
: a fruit described by ancient writers as externally of fair appearance but dissolving into smoke and ashes when plucked

called also Dead Sea apple

b
: an empty mockery
had seen the fruits of victory turn into apples of SodomR. M. Lovett
2
a
: the small yellow tomatolike fruit of a prickly shrub (Solanum sodomeum)
b
: a spiny herb (Solanum carolinense) that bears yellow and orange berries

Word History

Etymology

from Sodom, biblical city destroyed by God (Genesis 10)

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Cite this Entry

“Apple of Sodom.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/apple%20of%20Sodom. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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