# fruit

/ˈfɹut/ (US) · /fɹˈuːt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/fruit
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. food

noun · CEFR A1

the part of a plant that has seeds and is often sweet, such as an orange or a grape.

For teachers: the edible, usually sweet and fleshy, reproductive body of a seed plant.

- We always keep a bowl of fresh fruit on the kitchen table for the children.
- The tropical climate allows for a vast variety of fruit to be harvested throughout the calendar year.

Usage: Usually uncountable when referring to food in general; countable when referring to specific botanical types.

### 2. botany

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

the part of a flowering plant that contains the seeds.

For teachers: the seed-bearing structure in angiosperms formed from the ovary after flowering.

- The botanist explained how the fruit protects the seeds as they grow.
- In botanical terms, a fruit is the ripened ovary of a flowering plant, regardless of whether it is edible or sweet.

Usage: Often used countably in scientific contexts to describe different seed-bearing structures.

Teaching tip: Remind students that botanically, tomatoes and cucumbers are fruits, even though we treat them as vegetables in the kitchen.

### 3. result

noun · CEFR B2

the good result or reward that comes from hard work or an activity.

For teachers: the result, outcome, or consequence of an action or effort, typically used in the plural.

- After years of studying, she is finally enjoying the fruits of her hard work.
- The company is only now beginning to see the fruits of its long-term investment in renewable energy research.

Usage: Commonly used in the plural form 'fruits' in the idiom 'the fruits of one's labour'.

### 5. to produce fruit

verb · CEFR B2

when a plant or tree grows fruit.

For teachers: to bear or produce fruit, seeds, or spores.

- The apple trees usually fruit in late summer.
- The orchard failed to fruit effectively this season due to an unexpected late frost that damaged the blossoms.

Usage: Intransitive verb.

### 6. offensive slang

noun · CEFR C1 · Slang · Vulgar

a very rude and old-fashioned word for a gay man.

For teachers: a derogatory and offensive term for a male homosexual, particularly one perceived as effeminate.

- The character in the old movie used a cruel word like fruit to insult his rival.
- The use of the term fruit as a homophobic slur has largely declined in modern discourse but remains a potent symbol of mid-century prejudice.

Usage: Highly offensive; used as a noun.

Teaching tip: Students should be aware of this sense to understand older media or avoid accidental offense, but they should never use it themselves.

## Examples

- I always have a piece of fresh fruit with my breakfast.
- The local market sells a wide variety of seasonal fruit, including apples, pears, and berries.
- While botanists classify tomatoes and avocados as fruit, most people treat them as vegetables because they lack the sweetness associated with culinary fruit.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.