Word: fruit Part of Speech: noun Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰruHg- Proto-Italic *frūgjōr Latin fruor Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Italic *-tus Latin -tus Latin frūctus Old French fruitbor. Middle English fruyt English fruit From Middle English fruyt, frut (“fruits and vegetables”), from Old French fruit (“produce, fruits and vegetables”), from Latin fruitus (“enjoyment, proceeds, profits, produce, income”), frūctus and frūx (“crop, produce, fruit”) (compare Latin fruor (“have the benefit of, to use, to enjoy”)). Cognate with English brook (“to bear, tolerate”) and German brauchen (“to need”). Partially displaced native Old English wæstm, ofett and æppel (whence modern ovest and apple). Compare Dutch vrucht, German Frucht, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish frukt, Danish frugt. In the derogatory senses of “crazy person” and “homosexual or effeminate man”, possibly a shortening of fruitcake, or of independent origin, compare Fruit (slang). Pronunciation: /fɹuːt/, /fɹʉwt/, /fɹut/, /fɾʉt/, /fɹʉt/ 1. A product of fertilization in a plant, specifically Labels: countable, uncountable Example: [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. 2. A product of fertilization in a plant, specifically: Labels: countable, uncountable 3. A product of fertilization in a plant, specifically: Labels: countable, uncountable 4. Any 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. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: 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. 5. Any 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. Labels: countable, uncountable 6. An end result, effect, or consequence; advantageous or disadvantageous result. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: His long nights in the office eventually bore fruit when his business boomed and he was given a raise. Example: He spent his retirement enjoying the fruits of his labour. 7. Of, belonging to, related to, or having fruit or its characteristics; (of living things) producing or consuming fruit. Labels: attributive, countable, uncountable Example: fresh-squeezed fruit juice Example: a fruit salad 8. A homosexual man, especially an effeminate one. Labels: colloquial, countable, dated, derogatory, uncountable Example: "Moishe just checked in," he said. "He's a panhandler and a fruit. A disgrace to the Jewish race." Example: I'm not talking to this twisted fruit anymore! 9. An effeminate man. Labels: countable, derogatory, figuratively, uncountable 10. Offspring from a sexual union. Labels: archaic, countable, uncountable Example: The litter was the fruit of the union between our whippet and their terrier. Example: fruit of one's loins 11. A crazy person. Labels: countable, informal, uncountable