fruit
/fruːt/ (bre, ipa) · /fruːt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈfrüt/ (ame, mw)
fruit — noun
- fruitsingular
- fruitsplural
1. a type of food that grows on plants and trees, has seeds inside, and tastes swee
a type of food that grows on plants and trees, has seeds inside, and tastes sweet — such as apples, oranges, and grapes.
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.
The shop sells many tropical fruits such as mangoes and papayas.
Chiara poured herself a glass of fruit juice from the carton.
Yasmin bought some fresh fruit from the market and shared it with her friends.
文法句型
fruit (uncountable): general category
a fruit (countable): one type or piece
用法筆記
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.'
常見錯誤
2. the seed-bearing structure that grows from a flower after pollination and holds
the seed-bearing structure that grows from a flower after pollination and holds the seeds, whether or not it is sweet or edible
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
After the flowers withered, small green fruits began to appear on the vine.
The fruit of the oak tree is the acorn, a hard nut that squirrels eat.
文法句型
the fruit of [plant]
用法筆記
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
a successful, pleasant, or valuable outcome that comes as a result of effort, work, or patience
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.
Mizuki enjoyed the fruits of her success after building her own business from scratch.
After two years of training, Rachel began to see the fruit of her efforts.
The team's victory was the sweet fruit of months of preparation and teamwork.
- 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
文法句型
the fruit of [possessive noun]
the fruits of [possessive noun]
用法筆記
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.'
常見錯誤
4. a deeply insulting, outdated slang word referring to a homosexual male — never a
a deeply insulting, outdated slang word referring to a homosexual male — never appropriate in modern speech.
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.
Minh found the word 'fruit' listed as a derogatory term in an old slang dictionary.
Historians note that 'fruit' was a common homophobic insult in mid-century American bars.
文法句型
used as a derogatory term for a person
用法筆記
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.
常見錯誤
❌ Using this sense at all — even jokingly. The term is deeply offensive and should be avoided completely.
fruit — verb
- fruitpresent simple I / you / we / they
- fruits3rd person singular
- fruiting-ing form
- fruitedpast simple
1. when a plant or tree produces fruit, especially at a particular time of year or
when a plant or tree produces fruit, especially at a particular time of year or under specific conditions
The apple trees in Ife's garden fruit every autumn without fail.
intransitive: [tree] fruits + [time]
Young mango trees often take five years before they start to fruit.
The lemon plant fruited heavily after the rainy season ended.
If the soil is too dry, the strawberry plants will not fruit well.
- produce fruit
a more common, everyday alternative in conversation
- bear fruit
slightly more formal; also used metaphorically
文法句型
[plant/tree] fruits
[plant/tree] fruits + [time expression]
用法筆記
This verb is most common in gardening, farming, and botany contexts. It is less frequent in everyday conversation — people usually say 'produce fruit' or 'grow fruit' instead. It follows the same conjugation pattern as regular verbs: fruit / fruited / fruited.
2. to treat or manage a plant in a way that makes it produce fruit, for example by
to treat or manage a plant in a way that makes it produce fruit, for example by pruning, feeding, or controlling its environment
Asher learned how to fruit his fig tree by pruning it at the right time.
transitive: fruit + [tree]
The nursery uses special lighting to fruit the plants during winter.
Gardeners can fruit a citrus tree by applying the correct fertilizer in spring.
Warm greenhouse conditions helped fruit the young pepper plants ahead of schedule.
- bring to fruit
an alternative phrasing, also used in horticulture
- make fruit
an informal but clearer option for learners
文法句型
fruit + [plant/tree]
用法筆記
This transitive sense is rare and mostly appears in horticulture manuals. In everyday English, speakers use phrases like 'make the tree fruit' or 'get the plant to produce fruit' instead. 'Cause to bear fruit' is a more common formal equivalent.