fruit

plural fruits

1. countableuncountablebiologyA product of fertilization in a plant, specifically

   [A]fter the flower is past commeth the fruit in long pods, every seede bunching out like the pods of Orobus and as bigge almost as the smaller Pease.

   1640, John Parkinson, Theatrum botanicum: the Theater of Plants; or, An Herball of a Large Extent, London, page 1063

2. A product of fertilization in a plant, specifically:
   1. countableuncountablebiologyThe seed-bearing part of a plant; often edible, colourful, fragrant, and sweet or sour; produced from a floral ovary after fertilization.
   2. countableuncountablebiologyThe spores of cryptogams and their accessory organs.
3. countableuncountableAny sweet or sour, edible part of a plant that resembles seed-bearing fruit (see former sense) even if it does not develop from a floral ovary.

   It’s true that agriculture at the time was organic, food was locally produced and there were no ultraprocessed foods. But fresh fruits and vegetables were in short supply because they were difficult to ship and because growing seasons were so short.

   2025 January 13, Gina Kolata, “Have Americans Ever Really Been Healthy?”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 14 Jan 2025

   1. countableuncountableA sweet or sweetish vegetable, such as the petioles of rhubarb, that resembles a true fruit or is used in cookery as if it was a fruit.
4. countableuncountableAn end result, effect, or consequence; advantageous or disadvantageous result.

   He spent his retirement enjoying the fruits of his labour.

   5 more examples

   His long nights in the office eventually bore fruit when his business boomed and he was given a raise.

   the fruit of rashness

   c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i]

   They shall eat the fruit of their doings.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Isaiah 3:10

   The fruits of this education became visible.

   1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter XX, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume (please specify |volume=I to V), London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC

   It is incontestably the case that future generations enjoyed the extraordinary fruits of the Industrial Revolution’s “great enrichment”.

   2019 July 11, John Thornhill, “Does tech threaten to rerun the worst of the Industrial Revolution?”, in Financial Times

5. attributivecountableuncountableOf, belonging to, related to, or having fruit or its characteristics; (of living things) producing or consuming fruit.

   a fruit tree

   3 more examples

   fresh-squeezed fruit juice

   a fruit salad

   an artificial fruit flavor

6. colloquialcountabledatedderogatoryuncountableA homosexual man, especially an effeminate one.

   I'm not talking to this twisted fruit anymore!

   1984, This is Spinal Tap, spoken by Ian Faith (Tony Hendra)

   2 more examples

   "Moishe just checked in," he said. "He's a panhandler and a fruit. A disgrace to the Jewish race."

   1977 [1953], William S. Burroughs, edited by Allen Ginsberg, Junky, Penguin Books, →ISBN, page 66

   Aww, but he's so cute! / He's a fruit… Oh my fucking god! You will not believe who was here today!

   1997, Daniel Clowes, “Garage Sale”, in Ghost World, Jonathan Cape, published 2000, →ISBN, page 15

   Synonyms: batty boy, batty man, botter, bumboy, bum chum, bumder, bummer, butt rider

7. countablederogatoryfigurativelyuncountableAn effeminate man.First known use 1900

   Synonyms: bading, big girl's blouse, cockney, cot-quean, cupcake, dudelet, fakaleiti, fairy

8. archaiccountableuncountableOffspring from a sexual union.

   fruit of one's loins

   3 more examples

   The litter was the fruit of the union between our whippet and their terrier.

   King Edward's fruit, true heir to the English crown

   c. 1591–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iv]

   And she spake out with a loud voyce, and saide, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruite of thy wombe.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Luke 1:42

9. countableinformaluncountableA crazy person.

present singular third person fruits · participle present fruiting · participle past fruited · past fruited

1. intransitiveTo produce fruit, seeds, or spores.

   The grass and weeds come up to my waist and the plum trees are already fruiting up, though most of the fruit'll go to the wasps and the worms, Vinny says, 'cause he can't be arsed to pick it.

   2014, David Mitchell, The Bone Clocks, →ISBN, page 12

   2 more examples

   It may be said, however, that the percentage of green apples among the Fameuse seedlings is much less than among the others as out of 33 Fameuse seedlings which had fruited up to this year, none was green and we recollect but one light coloured Fameuse seedling fruiting this year.

   1910, Canada Experimental Farms Service, Report of the Dominion Experimental Farms

   For example, chanterelles and russulas can start fruiting in early to mid summer given sufficient moisture, but other species, such as matsutake, rarely fruit until temperatures cool in the autumn, even if moisture is available earlier.

   1998, Randy Molina, David Pilz, Managing Forest Ecosystems to Conserve Fungus Diversity and Sustain Wild Mushroom Harvests, →ISBN, page 10

plural Fruits

1. A surname.

1. abbreviationacronymuncountableaeronauticsAcronym of false replies unsynchronized/uncorrelated in time.