prune

1 of 2

noun

: a plum dried or capable of drying without fermentation

prune

2 of 2

verb

pruned; pruning

transitive verb

1
a
: to reduce especially by eliminating superfluous matter
pruned the text
prune the budget
b
: to remove as superfluous
prune away all ornamentation
2
: to cut off or cut back parts of for better shape or more fruitful growth
prune the branches

intransitive verb

: to cut away what is unwanted or superfluous
pruner noun

Examples of prune in a Sentence

Verb She carefully pruned the hedge. Those trees need to be pruned every year. The students were asked to prune their essays. The budget needs to be pruned.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
There are four different packs available: a box of raspberry, a box of prune, a mixed box of raspberry and prune, and a mixed box of raisin and raspberry. Journal Sentinel, 1 Feb. 2024 What did one prune say to the other after agreeing to grab dinner? Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 1 Feb. 2024 Paczki are a plump and pillowy yeast pastries that are covered in a sweet glaze, powdered sugar-dusted or unglazed and filled with a filling of fruit jellies, or the traditional prune, custard or cream fillings. Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 13 Feb. 2024 When this happens, replace the soil in the container, prune, and fertilize lightly. Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 27 Jan. 2024 Aromas include mocha, black cherries, prunes and cocoa. Tom Mullen, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024 Thousands of people across the country volunteer to help plant, prune and care for trees. Annie Midori Atherton, Washington Post, 7 Nov. 2023 He was raised by his mother and grandmother — a hard-nosed prune farmer whom McGuire credits for his career. Mackenzie Mays, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2024 Otherwise my hands feel sad and naked, or like prunes upon waking. Danielle Sinay, Glamour, 3 Jan. 2024
Verb
The plants can also be pruned to maintain a shrub-like form. Patricia S York, Southern Living, 18 Mar. 2024 On a recent Saturday morning, some people pruned trees while others removed trash from beds on 37th Avenue, a bustling commercial drag in the neighborhood. Jane Margolies, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024 If the Biden budget became law, deficits could be pruned $3 trillion over a decade. Josh Boak, Fortune, 12 Mar. 2024 Ineligible are all palm varieties, woody plants used to create hedges, weeping trees with soft branches that touch the ground, certain invasive species and trees that don’t provide sufficient shade or are pruned to reduce their canopy, according to the district. Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2024 These ants are also very nasty to humans, attacking workers pruning coffee trees. Lesley Evans Ogden, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Jan. 2024 The third winter will be the first time to prune in a manner that will be replicated each year after that. Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 16 Feb. 2024 Use a fertilizer in the spring and fall, and prune them in late winter to get rid of dead canes and vines and to shape. Valerie Fraser Luesse, Southern Living, 13 Feb. 2024 More:Cold temperatures of late winter are ideal for garden pruning in Michigan The warmer weather, Kook said, is being caused by a low-pressure system to the west, which is drawing up warmer winds from the south. Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press, 8 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'prune.' 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

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French, plum, from Latin prunum — more at plum

Verb

Middle English prouynen, probably ultimately from Old French prooignier, alteration of *porrooignier, from por- completely (from Latin pro-) + rooignier to cut, prune, from Vulgar Latin *rotundiare to cut around, from Latin rotundus round — more at pro-, rotund

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of prune was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near prune

Cite this Entry

“Prune.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prune. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

prune

1 of 2 noun
: a dried plum

prune

2 of 2 verb
pruned; pruning
1
a
: to reduce by getting rid of matter that is not necessary or wanted
prune an essay
prune a budget
b
: to remove as unnecessary
2
: to cut off the parts of a woody plant that are dead or not wanted
prune the hedge
pruner noun

Medical Definition

prune

noun
: a plum dried or capable of drying without fermentation and often used as a food and as a mild laxative

More from Merriam-Webster on prune

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