bullace

Meaning

Noun

• A small European plum (Prunus domestica subsp. insititia (subspecies)).
• The bully tree.

Origin

• From Middle English bolas, bolace, from Anglo-Norman and Old French beloce, buloce, from Vulgar Latin *bullucea, from Late Latin bulluca; of Celtic/Gaulish origin, akin to Celtiberian *bullācā, from Proto-Celtic *bullākā, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeHw-, itself imitative. Possibly influenced by Latin galla with metathesis of the consonants.
• See also Spanish bugalla, Portuguese bugalho, and (the distantly related) Latin bucca.