Definition

A type of rose plant that has thorny stems, fragrant leaves, and produces bright pink flowers followed by red fruit called hips.

Example

The sweetbriar in the garden bloomed beautifully this spring.

Conversation

Have you seen the garden lately?

Yeah, it looks amazing with all those flowers!

I love the sweetbriar blooming near the fence.

It's such a beautiful plant; I love the smell of its leaves!

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Sweetbriar is formed from "sweet" (from Old English *swēte*, meaning pleasing to the taste or smell) and "briar" (from Old French *bruyère*, meaning a thorny plant). The word refers to a thorny plant that has a sweet fragrance or taste, often associated with roses.

Memory Tip

Think of something that is 'pleasing to the taste' ('sweet') and a 'thorny plant' ('briar') — together, they describe a fragrant plant that is both sweet and thorny.

Visually Confused Words