forbidden fruit

UK/fəˈbɪ.dn̩ fɹuːt/US/fɚˈbɪ.dn̩ fɹut/

noun

The fruit forbidden to Adam.

“She was forbidden fruit because she was his teacher. This taboo made him want a relationship with her even more.”

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Meanings

nounforbidden fruit (countable and uncountable, plural forbidden fruits)

plural forbidden fruits

  1. countableuncountablebiblicalThe fruit forbidden to Adam.
  2. countableidiomaticuncountableIllicit pleasure.
  3. countableuncountableSomething desired that cannot be had.

    She was forbidden fruit because she was his teacher. This taboo made him want a relationship with her even more.

  4. countableuncountableA small variety of shaddock (Citrus maxima), or sometimes other citrus fruits.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
grapefruit

Origin

With reference to Genesis 2:17: ‘But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.’ (KJV)

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Afrikaans verbode vrug, verbode vrug
  • verbode vrugthe fruit forbidden to Adam
  • verbode vrugillicit pleasure
Ancient Greek ἀπαγορευμένος καρπός
  • ἀπαγορευμένος καρπός (apagoreuménos karpós)the fruit forbidden to Adam
Arabic فَاكِهَة مُحَرَّمَة
  • فَاكِهَة مُحَرَّمَةthe fruit forbidden to Adam
Catalan fruita prohibida
  • fruita prohibidathe fruit forbidden to Adam
Chinese Mandarin 禁果, 偷歡 /偷欢
  • 禁果 (jìnguǒ)the fruit forbidden to Adam
  • 偷歡 /偷欢 (tōuhuān)illicit pleasure
Dutch verboden vrucht
  • verboden vruchtthe fruit forbidden to Adam
Estonian keelatud vili
  • keelatud vilithe fruit forbidden to Adam
Finnish kielletty hedelmä, kielletty hedelmä
  • kielletty hedelmäthe fruit forbidden to Adam
  • kielletty hedelmäillicit pleasure
French fruit défendu
  • fruit défenduthe fruit forbidden to Adam
German verbotene Frucht
  • verbotene Fruchtthe fruit forbidden to Adam
Greek απαγορευμένος καρπός
  • απαγορευμένος καρπός (apagorevménos karpós)the fruit forbidden to Adam
Hebrew הַפְּרִי הָאָסוּר
  • הַפְּרִי הָאָסוּר (haprí haasúr)the fruit forbidden to Adam
Hungarian tiltott gyümölcs, tiltott gyümölcs
  • tiltott gyümölcsthe fruit forbidden to Adam
  • tiltott gyümölcsillicit pleasure
Icelandic forboðinn ávöxstur
  • forboðinn ávöxsturthe fruit forbidden to Adam
Indonesian buah khuldi
  • buah khuldithe fruit forbidden to Adam
Polish zakazany owoc, zakazany owoc
  • zakazany owocthe fruit forbidden to Adam
  • zakazany owocillicit pleasure
Portuguese fruto proibido, fruto proibido
  • fruto proibidothe fruit forbidden to Adam
  • fruto proibidoillicit pleasure
Russian запре́тный плод, запре́тный плод
  • запре́тный плод (zaprétnyj plod)the fruit forbidden to Adam
  • запре́тный плод (zaprétnyj plod)illicit pleasure
Spanish fruto prohibido, fruto prohibido
  • fruto prohibidothe fruit forbidden to Adam
  • fruto prohibidoillicit pleasure
Swedish förbjuden frukt, förbjuden frukt
  • förbjuden fruktthe fruit forbidden to Adam
  • förbjuden fruktillicit pleasure
Cite this entry
APA

forbidden fruit. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/forbidden%20fruit

MLA

“forbidden fruit.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/forbidden%20fruit. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “forbidden fruit,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/forbidden%20fruit.

Source: forbidden fruit on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.