fruit
/fɹuːt/
In its literal sense, it evokes freshness, sweetness, and nature's bounty. While botanically precise, in common usage it often excludes vegetables (like tomatoes) due to culinary perception. Metaphorically, it carries a strong connotation of reward and fruition. It suggests that something has matured over time through effort, shifting the focus from the process of labor to the satisfaction of the outcome. As a verb, it is more formal than 'result in' or 'pay off,' often used in professional or literary contexts to describe a successful conclusion.
Uncountable when talking about fruit as a general food group or a collective mass ('I eat plenty of fruit'). Countable when referring to different species or varieties of the produce ('The market sells many exotic fruits like durian and dragon fruit').
💬Casual Conversation
Grab some fruit from the store. Your mom's on a health kick.
hard pass. i'm mid-game and literally can't move.
Meanings
The seed-bearing part of a plant, typically fleshy and sweet, that develops from the ovary after flowering.
"She sliced a fresh piece of fruit for breakfast."
The result or reward of work, effort, or a particular process.
"The success of the project was the fruit of months of hard labor."
Collocations & Compounds
forbidden fruit
Something that is desired specifically because it is prohibited.
fruit of one's labor
The reward or result achieved through hard work.
tropical fruit
Fruit grown in hot, humid regions near the equator.
fruit salad
A mixture of various types of sliced fruit.
bear fruit
To yield positive results or produce a successful outcome.
Idioms & Sayings
the fruit of one's labor
The positive results or rewards achieved through hard work.
forbidden fruit
Something that is desired specifically because it is prohibited.
bear fruit
To yield a positive result or produce the intended outcome.
low-hanging fruit
Tasks or goals that are easily achievable without much effort.
Etymology
Derived from Old English 'frūht', originating from Proto-Germanic 'fruhhtum', which is rooted in the Proto-Indo-European root 'bhrug-' meaning 'to swell'. It entered Middle English as 'fruit' under the influence of the Old French 'fruit', which descends from the Latin 'fructus', meaning 'enjoyment, profit, or the product of a tree'.