crab apple
noun
: any of various wild or cultivated trees (genus Malus) that are cultivars or relatives of the cultivated apple and that produce small sour fruit
also
: the fruit
Examples of crab apple in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Chef Cameron Cousin, 46, taps into a lot of diners’ wish lists with his winning roundup of oysters Rockefeller, French onion soup, ricotta scattered with mushrooms, and a strapping pork chop that’s pure comfort (and sweetly served with apple sauce inside hollowed crab apples).
—
Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 26 Mar. 2024
The kumquat is to the orange what the crab apple is to the apple – a small, tart version of the larger fruit.
—Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 27 Jan. 2024
The team found evidence of fruit and nuts, including hazelnut, apple and crab apple.
—Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Jan. 2024
The property was surrounded by thick brush and flowering Pacific crab apple and Klamath plum trees.
—Jennie Rothenberg Gritz, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Sep. 2023
It’s decorated with real pinecones, faux crab apples, and holly berries, as well as a weather-resistant bow.
—Quincy Bulin, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Oct. 2023
Anxo sixth anniversary Six years ago, when Anxo became the first licensed cider makers in D.C. since Prohibition, its debut ciders were made with crab apples foraged from the yards of friends.
—Chris Kelly, Washington Post, 25 May 2023
The High Altar will also be decorated with seasonal foliage such as crab apple blossom, amelanchier, camellia, acer, hazel, rhododendron, and azalea alongside beech cut from an ancient cluster of trees at RHS Garden Bridgewater.
—Jen Juneau, Peoplemag, 4 May 2023
And moose head into town too, avoiding deep snow in the mountains and finding crab apples that plunk down along Anchorage streets.
—Morgan Krakow, Anchorage Daily News, 21 Feb. 2023
Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 26 Mar. 2024
The kumquat is to the orange what the crab apple is to the apple – a small, tart version of the larger fruit.
—Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 27 Jan. 2024
The team found evidence of fruit and nuts, including hazelnut, apple and crab apple.
—Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Jan. 2024
The property was surrounded by thick brush and flowering Pacific crab apple and Klamath plum trees.
—Jennie Rothenberg Gritz, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Sep. 2023
It’s decorated with real pinecones, faux crab apples, and holly berries, as well as a weather-resistant bow.
—Quincy Bulin, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Oct. 2023
Anxo sixth anniversary Six years ago, when Anxo became the first licensed cider makers in D.C. since Prohibition, its debut ciders were made with crab apples foraged from the yards of friends.
—Chris Kelly, Washington Post, 25 May 2023
The High Altar will also be decorated with seasonal foliage such as crab apple blossom, amelanchier, camellia, acer, hazel, rhododendron, and azalea alongside beech cut from an ancient cluster of trees at RHS Garden Bridgewater.
—Jen Juneau, Peoplemag, 4 May 2023
And moose head into town too, avoiding deep snow in the mountains and finding crab apples that plunk down along Anchorage streets.
—Morgan Krakow, Anchorage Daily News, 21 Feb. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'crab apple.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
First Known Use
1680, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near crab apple
Cite this Entry
“Crab apple.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crab%20apple. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
crab apple
noun
: any of several cultivated or wild trees related to the apple tree and producing a small sour fruit
also
: the fruit
More from Merriam-Webster on crab apple
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about crab apple
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