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papaya
(pə pī′ə, -pä′yə)
noun
- a tropical American tree (Carica papaya) of the papaya family, resembling a palm, having a bunch of large leaves at the top, and bearing a large, oblong, yellowish-orange fruit like a melon
- its fruit, eaten raw or cooked, and also valued for its juice
Origin: Sp < Carib or Arawak name of the fruit
adjective
designating a family (Caricaceae, order Violales) of tropical and subtropical dicotyledonous trees and shrubs
See papaya in American Heritage Dictionary 4
noun In both senses also called papaw.
- An evergreen, usually dioecious, tropical American tree (Carica papaya) having a crown of palmately divided leaves with pinnate lobes and large yellow edible fruit.
- The fruit of this tree.
Origin:
Origin: Spanish
Origin: and Portuguese
Origin: , both of Cariban origin
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