/ fruːt; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
1.
[ C , U ] the part of a plant that consists of one or more seeds and flesh, can be eaten as food and usually tastes sweet :
tropical fruits, such as bananas and pineapples
Eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables.
a piece of fruit (= an apple, an orange, etc.)
fruit juice
fruit trees
—see also dried fruit , first fruit , soft fruit
—compare vegetable
2.
[ C ] ( technical ) a part of a plant or tree that is formed after the flowers have died and in which seeds develop
3.
[ C , usually pl. ] ( literary ) all the natural things that the earth produces
4.
[ C ] ( offensive ) an offensive word for a homosexual man
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IDIOMS
- the fruit / fruits of sth
—more at bear verb , forbidden
■ verb
[ v ] ( technical ) ( of a tree or plant ) to produce fruit
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : from Old French , from Latin fructus enjoyment of produce, harvest, from frui enjoy, related to fruges fruits of the earth, plural (and most common form) of frux , frug- fruit.