papaya

(pə pīə, -pä)

noun

  1. 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
  2. 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.
  1. An evergreen, usually dioecious, tropical American tree (Carica papaya) having a crown of palmately divided leaves with pinnate lobes and large yellow edible fruit.
  2. The fruit of this tree.

Origin:

Origin: Spanish

Origin: and Portuguese

Origin: , both of Cariban origin

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