red bay

American  

noun

1. an evergreen tree, Persea borbonia, of the eastern coast of the U.S., having faintly bluish-green leaves and blue or blue-black, red-stalked fruit, grown as an ornamental.

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Etymology

Origin of red bay

An Americanism dating back to 1720–30

Example Sentences

Wallace arrived on his horse Old John, a red bay with white feet and a piebald face.

From Slate • Mar. 26, 2013

From time to time we forded little streams of a deep-red color, flowing from the swamps, tinged, as we were told, with the roots of the red bay, a species of magnolia.

From Letters of a Traveller Notes of Things Seen in Europe and America by Bryant, William Cullen

He took it to the white cities of the Genoese Gulf, towards the palm trees of Hyères, or the red bay trees of Anthéor.

From Une Vie, a Piece of String and Other Stories by Maupassant, Guy de

It was the same red bay, but now the boy on the black horse moved his hands forward a little and his mount came easily to the leader's side.

From Blister Jones by Hambridge, Jay

He roped a big, red bay, smooth, with a glossy coat that shone like a flame in the clear white light of the morning sun.

From The Trail Horde by Seltzer, Charles Alden