service tree

Meaning

Either of two rare Old World deciduous trees, Sorbus domestica or Sorbus torminalis.

Synonyms

serviceberry

sorb apple

shadblow

shadbush

rowan

Sorbus domestica

sorb apple tree

Juneberry

beam tree

checker tree

true service tree

mountain ash

whitty pear

rowanberry

sorb

mountain-ash

Sorbus

rowans

whitebeams

service tree fruit

Translations

cormier

Speierling

sorbo domestico

sorbier

serbal

sorbus

σουρβιά

Sorbus domestica

sorbe

amélanchier

alisier

Sperberbaum

δέντρο sorbus domestica

θάμνος shadbush

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: serves

Inherited from Old English: syrfe

In summary

Properly, the tree that bears sorb fruit, from Middle English serves, plural of serve (“sorb apple, serviceberry”), from Old English syrfe, from Vulgar Latin *sorbea, from Latin sorbus (“service tree”). See sorb.