n.
- the sweet and fleshy product of a tree or other plant that contains seed and can be eaten as food.
▸Botany the seed-bearing structure of a plant, e.g. an acorn.
▸
archaic or
literary natural produce that can be used for food:
the fruits of the earth.
- the result or reward of work or activity.
- archaic offspring.
- N. Amer. informal, derogatory a male homosexual.
v.
produce fruit.
Phrase
- bear fruit
have good results. - in fruit
at the stage of producing fruit.
Etymology
ME: from OFr., from L. fructus ‘enjoyment of produce, harvest’, from frui ‘enjoy’, rel. to fruges ‘fruits of the earth’, pl. of frux, frug- ‘fruit’.