Dictionary Home » Dictionary Definitions » fruit

fruit

Listen See in Thesaurus See in a sentence

The definition of a fruit is the mature ovary of a flowering plant that is edible and usually eaten raw.

Facts About Fruits

Fruits that have a hardened shell belong to the group Pepo.
Fruits that have a rind belong to the group called Hesperidium.
Fruits that grow from a single ovary in the plant are a berry.

(noun)

An example of a fruit from the group Pepo is a pumpkin, gourd, melon and cucumber.
Examples of fruits from the group Hesperidium are lemons, limes, grapefruits and oranges.
Examples of fruits from the True Berry group are gooseberry, currants, eggplant, kiwi and grapes.

Fruit is defined as the positive result of something done.

(noun)

An example of fruit is a newborn baby.

See fruit in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun pl. fruit or fruits

any plant product, as grain, flax, vegetables, etc.: usually used in pl.
the edible plant structure of a mature ovary of a flowering plant, usually eaten raw: many fruits which are not sweet, as tomatoes, beans, green peppers, etc., are popularly called vegetables
the quality of being fruity (sense ); fruitiness: said of wine
the result, product, or consequence of any action: fruit of hard work
☆ Slang a male homosexual: term of contempt or derision
Archaic the young of animals or man
Bot. the mature ovary of a flowering plant, together with its contents, and any closely connected parts, as the whole peach, pea pod, cucumber, etc.

Origin: ME < OFr < L fructus, enjoyment, means of enjoyment, fruit, produce, profit < pp. of frui, to partake of, enjoy < IE base *bhrūg-, fruit, to enjoy > brook

intransitive verb, transitive verb

to bear or cause to bear fruit

See fruit in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun pl. fruit fruit or fruits

a. The ripened ovary or ovaries of a seed-bearing plant, together with accessory parts, containing the seeds and occurring in a wide variety of forms.
b. An edible, usually sweet and fleshy form of such a structure.
c. A part or an amount of such a plant product, served as food: fruit for dessert.
The fertile, often spore-bearing structure of a plant that does not bear seeds.
A plant crop or product: the fruits of the earth.
Result; outcome: the fruit of their labor.
Offspring; progeny.
A fruity aroma or flavor in a wine.
Offensive Slang Used as a disparaging term for a homosexual man.