citrus

C3I1T1R1U1S1
/ˈsɪtɹəs/

noun

Any of several shrubs or trees of the genus Citrus in the family Rutaceae.

Similar
citriccitrouscitrus fruitcitrous fruitcitrus tree
CommonScrabble 8

Meanings

citrus1

nouncitrus (plural citruses or citrus or (formal) citri or (rare) citrusses)

plural citruses · formal plural citri · plural rare citrusses

  1. Any of several shrubs or trees of the genus Citrus in the family Rutaceae.
  2. 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.
adjectivecitrus (not generally comparable, comparative more citrus, superlative most citrus)

comparative more citrus · superlative most citrus

  1. 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 61
    2 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 176

    The 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

    Synonyms: citric, citrous

Citrus2

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveOf, relating to, or similar to citrus plants or fruit.

More synonyms by meaning

nounany of numerous fruits of the genus Citrus having thick rind and juicy pulp; grown in warm regions

Similar
citrus fruitcitrous fruit
Broader
edible fruit

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

Similar
citrus tree
Broader

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekκέδρος
  2. Latincitrus“a citron tree, thuja”
  3. 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.

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
APA

citrus. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/citrus

MLA

“citrus.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/citrus. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “citrus,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/citrus.

Source: citrus on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.