n. & adj.
--n.
1. (in full damson plum) a a small dark-purple plumlike fruit. b the small deciduous tree, Prunus institia, bearing this.
2 a dark-purple colour.
--adj. damson-coloured.
Phrases and idioms:
damson cheese a solid preserve of damsons and sugar.
Etymology: ME damacene, -scene, -sene f. L damascenum (prunum plum) of Damascus: see DAMASCENE