■ noun
1》 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 ~s of the earth.
2》 the result or reward of work or activity.
3》 archaic offspring.
4》 N. Amer. informal, derogatory a male homosexual.
■ verb produce ~.
Phrases
bear ~ have good results.
in ~ at the stage of producing ~.
Origin
ME: from OFr., from L. fructus 'enjoyment of produce, harvest', from frui 'enjoy', related to fruges '~s of the earth', plural of frux , frug- '~'.