Grapefruit

Pronunciation

• GenAm IPA: /ˈɡɹeɪp.fɹuːt/(as grape + fruit, with stress on grape)

Origin

From grape + fruit, an allusion to the grapelike clusters of fruit on the tree. Ciardi proposes another theory. The pummelo's botanical name was Citrus grandis, meaning "great citrus fruit", due to the large size of the fruits. It would be natural to call the new pummelo variety a "greatfruit". By saying that name a few times, with its consonant cluster, it sounds like "grapefruit", and it would easily have morphed to that form. This second suggestion is completely speculative, without attestation, but seems much more reasonable than the equally speculative "grape cluster" theory. Actually, pummelo fruits do not not grow in grapelike clusters.

Full definition of grapefruit

Noun

1. The tree of the species .
2. The large spherical tart fruit produced by this tree.

Synonyms

• (tree) grapefruit tree
• (fruit) pomelo, shaddock

Derived terms

• Chinese grapefruit
• grapefruitlike
• grapefruit juice
• grapefruity