[quince] n [ME quynce quinces, pl. of coyn, quyn quince, fr. MF coin, fr. L cotoneum, alter. cydonium, fr. Gk kydonion] (14c) 1: the fruit of a central Asian tree (Cydonia oblonga) of the rose family that resembles a hard-fleshed yellow apple and is used esp. in preserves
2: a tree that bears quinces