Meanings
citrus1
plural citruses · formal plural citri · plural rare citrusses
- The fruit of such plants, generally spherical, oblate, or prolate, consisting of an outer glandular skin (called zest), an inner white skin (called pith or albedo), and generally between 8 and 16 sectors filled with pulp consisting of cells with one end attached to the inner skin. Citrus fruits include orange, grapefruit, lemon, lime, and citron.
comparative more citrus · superlative most citrus
- not comparableusuallyOf, relating to, or similar to citrus plants or fruit.
Its nose is very citrus and fruity.
2001, Robin Shepard, Wisconsin's Best Breweries and Brewpubs, page 612 more examples
[…] and his cologne was more citrus than the usual leatherwood floating in formaldehyde.
2007, Eric Martin, The Virgin's Guide to Mexico: A Novel, page 176The problem with AG2 is that it's too citrus.
2008, Chandler Burr, The Perfect Scent: A Year Inside the Perfume Industry in Paris and New York
Citrus2
Synonyms & antonyms
More synonyms by meaning
nounany of numerous fruits of the genus Citrus having thick rind and juicy pulp; grown in warm regions
nounany of numerous tropical usually thorny evergreen trees of the genus Citrus having leathery evergreen leaves and widely cultivated for their juicy edible fruits having leathery aromatic rinds
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Ancient Greekκέδρος
- Latincitrus“a citron tree, thuja”
- Englishcitrus
From Latin citrus (“a citron tree, thuja”), probably via Etruscan from Ancient Greek κέδρος (kédros); compare Middle English citurtre, cytyr tre. Thus a possible doublet of cedar.
More words from Latin, Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Chinese Mandarin 柑橘, 柑橘屬 /柑橘属
- 柑橘 (gānjú)shrub or tree
- 柑橘屬 /柑橘属 (gānjúshǔ)shrub or tree
- 柑橘類 /柑橘类 (gānjúlèi)shrub or tree
Finnish sitruspuu
- sitruspuushrub or tree
French citrus, agrume
- citrusshrub or tree
- agrumeshrub or tree
Indonesian jeruk, limau
- jerukshrub or tree
- limaushrub or tree
Irish crann citris
- crann citrisshrub or tree
Italian agrume
- agrumeshrub or tree
Korean 감귤류, 시트러스
- 감귤류 (gamgyullyu)shrub or tree
- 시트러스 (siteureoseu)shrub or tree
Latin citrus
- citrusshrub or tree
Malay sitrus, limau
- sitrusshrub or tree
- limaushrub or tree
Māori rākau hīmoe
- rākau hīmoeshrub or tree
Persian بادرنگ
- بادرنگ (bâdrang)shrub or tree
Polish cytrus
- cytrusshrub or tree
Portuguese citro
- citroshrub or tree
Romanian citrice
- citriceshrub or tree
Russian ци́трус
- ци́трус (cítrus)shrub or tree
Spanish cítrico
- cítricoshrub or tree
Swedish citrusträd
- citrusträdshrub or tree
Tamil கிச்சிலி
- கிச்சிலி (kiccili)shrub or tree
Turkish narenciye, turunçgiller
- narenciyeshrub or tree
- turunçgillershrub or tree
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
citrus. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/citrus
“citrus.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/citrus. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “citrus,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/citrus.
Source: citrus on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.