mango

IPA/ˈmæŋɡəʊ/
KK[mˈæŋɡo]IPA/ˈmæŋɡəʊ/

mango — noun

  • mangosingular
  • mangoesplural

1. A sweet tropical fruit with an oblong shape, a thin outer skin that can be green

1.nounA1
Definition

A sweet tropical fruit with an oblong shape, a thin outer skin that can be green, yellow, or red, soft orange flesh, and one large flat seed at the centre.

Example

Caio sliced a ripe mango and added the orange pieces to the fruit salad.

collocation: slice a mango; ripe mango

The mangoes from Takeshi's home town are sweeter than any I have tried before.

Common collocations
  • ripe mango
  • fresh mango
  • sweet mango
  • sliced mango
  • green mango
  • mango pulp
  • mango peel

Usage Note

Countable noun. The plural can be spelt mangoes or mangos; mangoes is more common in dictionaries and formal writing.

Common Mistakes

She bought three mangos at the market.
She bought three mangoes at the market.
While both spellings are accepted, mangoes is the preferred form in standard English.

Word family

  • mango tree
    nounA2
  • mangoes
    plural nounA1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Mango, papaya, pineapple, and guava are all sweet tropical fruits, but they differ in texture, taste, and use. A mango has soft, juicy orange flesh with one large flat seed; the skin is thin and not usually eaten. Papaya is larger, with pink-orange flesh and a central cavity full of small black seeds; its flavour is milder and less tangy. Pineapple has a rough, spiky outer shell, firm yellow flesh with a fibrous core, and a sharp sweet-sour taste that stands out in cooked dishes. Guava is smaller, with green or yellow skin and pink or white flesh containing many tiny seeds; it has a strong floral aroma. In everyday cooking, mango is most often eaten fresh or blended into smoothies and desserts, while pineapple is common in savoury dishes such as stir-fries and grilled meat toppings.

papaya ↗pineapple ↗guava ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • mango juice
  • mango tree
  • mango slice
  • mango smoothie
  • mango season
  • mango chutney
  • mango lassi

Prepositions

  • with mango
  • of mango

Etymology

TamilMalayPortugueseEnglish

The word mango entered English in the 16th century through Portuguese manga, which was borrowed from Malay mangga. The Malay term itself came from Tamil māṅkāy, a compound of māṅ ('mango tree') and kāy ('unripe fruit'). This path reflects the early Portuguese trade routes in South and Southeast Asia, where mangoes had been cultivated for thousands of years.