marula, noun

/məˈru(ː)lə/
Forms:
maroela, maroolaShow more Also maroela, maroola, marulla, marullo, marulo, merula, meruley, meruli, morala, morula.
Origin:
Afrikaans, Northern SothoShow more Adaptation of Afrikaans maroela, Northern Sotho morula (plural merula).
a. In full marula tree: the tree Sclerocarya birrea (subspecies caffra) of the Anacardiaceae found in the tropical and sub-tropical areas of central and southern Africa, having glossy, dark green foliage and edible, yellow, plum-like fruit (see sense 2). Also attributive.
1857 D. Livingstone Missionary Trav. 165Another tree, the ‘Morala’..has never been known to be touched by lightning.
[1868 D. Oliver Flora Trop. Afr. I. 449S[clerocarya] Caffra. Native name ‘Morula’.]
1878 P. Gillmore Great Thirst Land 346A tree that I have noticed before, but paid little attention to, now becomes abundant — it is the meruley.
1907 J.P. Fitzpatrick Jock of Bushveld 443It was there, lying between two rocks in the shade of a marula tree, that I got one of those chances to see game at close quarters of which most men only hear or dream.
1928 E.H.L. Schwarz Kalahari & its Native Races 150They carve their jugs and bowls out of the soft wood of the marula tree.
1937 B.H. Dicke Bush Speaks 136Kaffir beer was brought made of the marula fruit fermented with rapoko grain, a very potent beverage.
1940 V. Pohl Bushveld Adventures 64There..was Mosillikaas, and his last words were, ‘We will wait for you, masters when the berries are falling from the marulo trees.’
1949 J. Mockford Golden Land 143Here grow..sturdy, shady, marulas dropping yellow plums so sun-fermented that elephants, having feasted on them, stagger tipsily.
a1951 H.C. Bosman in L. Abrahams Unto Dust (1963) 171If the bark of the maroelas turned black before the polgras was in seed, we would know that it would be a long winter.
1951 R. Griffiths Grey about Flame 164The three squatted round the pot of stodgy mealie-meal in the shade of a marula tree.
1976 V. Rosenberg Sunflower 35There were marulas with their potent fruit.
1982 S. Afr. Panorama Dec. 13Elephants are reputed to get intoxicated on ripe marula fruit — the ponderous beasts have been observed staggering drunkenly around marula trees.
1985 H. Goosen in S. Afr. Panorama Feb.A utility tree in every sense is the marula, Scletocarya birrea subsp. caffra. Its golden fruit provides food and drink, its foliage is favoured cattle fodder. From the wood are fashioned bowls, spoons, other utensils and ornaments.
1991 Style Apr. 102Did you know that the maroela can give you everything you need, from the bark to the fruit, and even the pips when roasted make delicious nuts?
b. The fruit of the marula tree, from which beer and other liquors are brewed. Also attributive, and combination marula beer.
1877 T. Baines Gold Regions of S.-E. Afr. 9The Marula, as large as a peach and with a kernel almost like one, has a pleasant flavour.
1897 F.W. Sykes With Plumer in Matabeleland 48By this time we were half famished, as, since the first night we had eaten no food except berries, wild apples, and ‘maroolas,’ a kind of wild plum.
1917 R. Marloth Dict. of Common Names of Plants 59Morula (meroola), Sclerocarya caffra. The fruit with an acidulous pleasant pulp.
1940 F.B. Young City of Gold 358It was the season of the ripening of the marula, that yellow plum-shaped fruit which the natives call umgana or ‘friend’.
1951 T.V. Bulpin Lost Trails of Low Veld 45It was potent, tasty Maroela beer and the trekkers drank it with relish..first making the bearer of the gift sample it.
1961 T. Macdonald Tvl Story 96The fruiting time of the marulla is of special significance in the life of the Pedi. When the marulla juice flows potent beer is brewed from it.
1965 P. Baragwanath Brave Remain 67At home the owner of the land would provide marula beer which, although not very intoxicating, made everybody happy.
1980 Sunday Times 19 Oct. (Mag. Sect.) 5Marula beer, says pa, is not only potent, it’s lethal..‘but the fruit is delicious. I love it. It’s a smooth fruit, rather like a litchi, but the meat adheres more firmly to the pip.’
1985 H. Goosen in S. Afr. Panorama Feb.The marula liqueur marketed by a South African distilling company is becoming increasingly popular.
1991 Leisure Bks Catal. Apr.–JuneDo you know that you can use elderberries, violets, oranges, marulas and other fruits, as well as roses, spices, nuts and even leaves to make your own liqueurs?
In full marula tree:the tree Sclerocarya birrea (subspecies caffra) of the Anacardiaceae found in the tropical and sub-tropical areas of central and southern Africa, having glossy, dark green foliage and edible, yellow, plum-like fruit (see sense 2). Also attributive.
The fruit of the marula tree, from which beer and other liquors are brewed. Also attributive, and combination marula beer.
Entry Navigation

Visualise Quotations

Quotation summary

Senses

18571991

Browse Related Words

By Category

Trees
Alcoholic Drinks

By Origin

Afrikaans
Sesotho and Sesotho sa Leboa
martial eagle, noun phrasen. phr.Mary, nounn.
Copyright © 2023 Dictionary Unit for South African English.