fruit

fruit — noun

1. a type of food that grows on plants and trees, has seeds inside, and tastes swee

1.nounA1
Definition

a type of food that grows on plants and trees, has seeds inside, and tastes sweet — such as apples, oranges, and grapes.

Example

Maeve bought some apples and oranges from the fruit stall at the market.

uncountable: fruit stall, some fruit

Apinya ate a bowl of mixed fruit after lunch every day.

Common collocations
  • fresh fruit
  • ripe fruit
  • tropical fruit
  • citrus fruit
  • dried fruit
  • fruit salad
  • fruit juice
  • fruit bowl
  • soft fruit
  • stone fruit
Synonyms
  • produce

    a broader term that includes vegetables and other farm products

  • crop

    focuses on fruit as a harvested agricultural product

Grammar Patterns

fruit (uncountable): general category

a fruit (countable): one type or piece

Usage Note

In everyday spoken English, 'fruit' is most often uncountable: 'I like fruit.' Use the countable form ('a fruit', 'fruits') when distinguishing between kinds: 'This tropical fruit has a strong smell.'

Common Mistakes

I bought many fruits at the store.
I bought a lot of fruit at the store.
'fruit' is usually uncountable when talking about food in general.
The fruits are healthy for you.
Fruit is healthy for you.
treat as a general uncountable category.

2. the seed-bearing structure that grows from a flower after pollination and holds

2.nounB1
Definition

the seed-bearing structure that grows from a flower after pollination and holds the seeds, whether or not it is sweet or edible

Example

In biology class, Faisal learned how the fruit develops from the flower's ovary.

the fruit develops from...

A tomato is botanically a fruit, though people treat it as a vegetable in cooking.

botanical vs culinary classification

Common collocations
  • seed-bearing fruit
  • fruit develops
  • fruit ripens
  • the fruit of the tree
  • botanical fruit
  • dry fruit
Synonyms
  • seed pod

    a specific type of dry fruit that releases seeds when split open

  • capsule

    a dry, seed-containing structure that splits open when ripe

Grammar Patterns

the fruit of [plant]

Usage Note

This botanical sense is broader than the everyday food sense — it includes nuts, pods, and capsules. A pea pod is a fruit in botanical terms, though nobody would call it 'fruit' at the dinner table.

3. a successful, pleasant, or valuable outcome that comes as a result of effort, wo

3.nounB2
Definition

a successful, pleasant, or valuable outcome that comes as a result of effort, work, or patience

Example

Kian's promotion was the fruit of years of hard work and dedication.

the fruit of + effort

The new community centre was the fruit of months of fundraising by local volunteers.

Common collocations
  • the fruit of one's labor
  • the fruit of success
  • the sweet fruit of
  • the fruits of victory
  • fruits of research
  • fruit of dedication
Synonyms
  • result

    neutral, works for any cause-effect situation; less emotive than 'fruit'

  • outcome

    focuses on the final state after a process; common for meetings or medical results

  • reward

    something given or received in return for effort, with a stronger sense of being deserved

  • product

    something created or produced by a specific process, not necessarily positive

Grammar Patterns

the fruit of [possessive noun]

the fruits of [possessive noun]

Usage Note

Typically used in the fixed pattern 'the fruit(s) of + noun phrase.' The singular form emphasises the overall result; the plural form ('the fruits of') suggests multiple benefits from one effort. Almost always positive — a negative outcome is not called 'fruit.'

Common Mistakes

The fruit of his laziness was failure.
The result of his laziness was failure.
'fruit' is only used for positive or valuable outcomes.

4. a deeply insulting, outdated slang word referring to a homosexual male — never a

4.nounC1
Definition

a deeply insulting, outdated slang word referring to a homosexual male — never appropriate in modern speech.

Example

The old novel used the word 'fruit' as a slur, which shocked modern readers.

dated, offensive — do not use

Jessica told her class that calling someone a 'fruit' is deeply insulting.

Grammar Patterns

used as a derogatory term for a person

Usage Note

This sense originated in early 20th-century American slang and is now widely recognised as a homophobic slur. Even in historical discussions, use quotation marks to distance yourself from the term. Most native speakers under 50 consider this word unacceptable in any context.

Common Mistakes

❌ Using this sense at all — even jokingly. The term is deeply offensive and should be avoided completely.

Idioms

bear fruit

idiom

When a plan, effort, or action produces successful results after a period of work or waiting.

Nicholas's careful investment strategy finally bore fruit after three years.

The negotiations bore fruit when both sides agreed to a compromise.

the fruit(s) of one's labor

idiom

the rewards, benefits, or satisfaction that come from hard work or effort

After building the house herself, Aylin sat back and enjoyed the fruit of her labor.

The farmers celebrated the fruits of their labor at the harvest festival.

low-hanging fruit

idiom

the easiest problems to solve or the simplest goals to achieve first, before tackling harder ones

The new manager started by picking the low-hanging fruit — small changes that would improve things right away.

In any project, it makes sense to deal with the low-hanging fruit first.

forbidden fruit

idiom

something that is tempting or desirable precisely because it is not allowed

To the children, the locked cabinet was a forbidden fruit they were desperate to open.

In a strict household, staying out late becomes a forbidden fruit for teenagers.

the fruit/fruits of something

idiom

The good results that come from hard work or a particular activity.

After years of study, Maya finally enjoyed the fruits of her labor.

The new park is the fruit of community volunteers' hard work.

fruit — verb

Word family

  • fruitful
    adjectiveB2
  • fruitless
    adjectiveB2
  • fruity
    adjectiveB1
  • fruitfully
    adverbC1
  • fruitfulness
    nounC1
  • fruitlessness
    nounC2
  • fruition
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/3

Fruit (noun sense 3 — RESULT OF EFFORT), result, outcome, reward, and product all refer to something that happens because of an action. Fruit emphasises that the outcome is positive and earned through effort — it carries a warm, satisfying tone that the other words do not. Result is the most neutral and flexible term, suitable for any situation (a test result, a research result). Outcome focuses on the final state of a process, especially when the path is uncertain: 'the outcome of the election.' Reward adds the idea of a return given in exchange for good behaviour, effort, or loyalty. Product is the most concrete — it names something created by a process, not necessarily a reward. Compare: 'The fruit of her research was a life-saving drug' (positive, earned) with 'The result of the test was negative' (neutral) or 'The product of their work was a mobile app' (concrete creation, no emotional weight).

result ↗outcome ↗reward ↗product ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • fruit and vegetables
  • piece of fruit
  • fruit of the season
  • fruit of the earth

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchAnglo-NormanMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'fruit' entered English from Old French 'fruit,' which came from Latin 'fructus,' meaning 'enjoyment, produce, or harvest.' The Latin noun was built on the verb 'frui' ('to enjoy, to have use of'). The metaphorical sense of 'a result or product of effort' appeared in English around the 1300s, while the derogatory slang use for a gay man developed in American English in the early 1900s. The botanical meaning—the seed-bearing part of a plant—has been the core sense since the word entered the language.