n.
Pronunciation: ' a-p ə l
Function: noun
Usage: often attrib
Etymology: Middle English appel, from Old English æppel; akin to Old High German apful apple, Old Irish ubull, Old Church Slavic abl ŭ ko
Date: before 12th century
1 : the fleshy usually rounded red, yellow, or green edible pome fruit of a usually cultivated tree (genus Malus ) of the rose family also : an apple tree ― compare CRAB APPLE
2 : a fruit (as a star apple) or other vegetative growth (as an oak apple) suggestive of an apple
– apple of one's eye : one that is highly cherished <his daughter is the apple of his eye >