rowan

rowan — noun

1. A type of tree that stays relatively small and produces bright red or orange ber

1.nounB1
Definition

A type of tree that stays relatively small and produces bright red or orange berries in bunches during autumn, commonly found in cool, northern parts of the world.

Example

The rowan tree in Christopher's yard has bright red berries every autumn.

rowan tree + autumn berry description

A rowan can grow well even in cold, windy places near the coast.

Common collocations
  • rowan tree
  • rowan grows
  • plant a rowan
  • rowan leaves
Synonyms
  • mountain ash

    A more general common name used for several similar trees in the Sorbus genus. In British English, 'mountain ash' and 'rowan' are used interchangeably for the same tree.

Usage Note

Often used in compound form 'rowan tree' when referring to the plant itself. In everyday speech, the tree may also be called 'mountain ash,' though that name can refer to other species in different regions.

Common Mistakes

There is a rowans in the garden.
There is a rowan in the garden.
The word 'rowan' is countable but stays unchanged in singular form; 'rowans' is the plural form.

2. The small, round, bright red or orange fruit that grows in hanging bunches on a

2.nounB1
Definition

The small, round, bright red or orange fruit that grows in hanging bunches on a rowan tree. It has a slightly bitter taste and is sometimes cooked into jelly or used to make alcoholic drinks.

Example

Salma picked a handful of rowan berries to make jelly for the winter.

rowan berries used for jelly

The rowan berries grow in bright red bunches that hang down from the branches.

Common collocations
  • rowan berries
  • rowan jelly
  • pick rowan berries
  • rowan berry jam
Synonyms
  • rowanberry

    An alternative single-word form for the fruit, less common than the two-word 'rowan berry.'

Usage Note

The fruit is most commonly referred to in the plural form 'rowan berries' or simply 'rowans.' Eating raw rowan berries is not recommended because they contain a compound that can cause stomach discomfort; they are typically cooked before consumption.

Common Mistakes

I ate a rowan from the tree.
I ate a rowan berry from the tree.
When talking about the fruit, it is more natural to say 'rowan berry' or 'rowan berries' rather than just 'a rowan.'

Word family

  • rowanberry
    nounC1
  • mountain ash
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Both 'rowan' and 'mountain ash' refer to the same tree in most of Europe and North America. 'Rowan' is the more traditional name in British English, rooted in Old Norse and common in Scotland and northern England. 'Mountain ash' is a descriptive name that highlights where the tree often grows — on mountainsides and rocky hills. In everyday speech, 'rowan' is used more widely now, while 'mountain ash' is also the name for an unrelated group of trees in Australia. If you say 'a rowan tree,' most English speakers will picture the same red-berried tree; if you say 'mountain ash,' the picture is the same in the UK but may be different in Australia.

rowan ↗mountain ash

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • rowan in the garden
  • cluster of rowan berries
  • rowan by the roadside

Prepositions

  • of a rowan
  • from a rowan

Etymology

Old NorseMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'rowan' comes from Old Norse 'rauðn,' which is linked to 'rauðr' meaning red — a clear reference to the tree's bright red berries. It entered English through northern dialects, appearing in writing from the 15th century onward. The tree has strong roots in Celtic and Scandinavian folklore, where it was believed to ward off evil spirits.