quince

quince

noun \ˈkwin(t)s\

Definition of QUINCE

1

: the fruit of a central Asian tree (Cydonia oblonga) of the rose family that resembles a hard-fleshed yellow apple and is used especially in preserves

2

: a tree that bears quinces — compare Japanese quince

Illustration of QUINCE

Origin of QUINCE

Middle English quynce quinces, plural of coyn, quyn quince, from Anglo-French coign, from Latin cotoneum, alteration cydonium, from Greek kydōnion

First Known Use: 14th century

Rhymes with QUINCE

mince, rinse, since, wince

quince

noun \ˈkwin(t)s\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of QUINCE

: the fruit of a central Asian tree of the genus Cydonia (C. oblonga) that resembles a hard-fleshed yellow apple; also : the tree

Illustration of QUINCE

quince

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Quince (Cydonia oblonga).—Walter Chandoha

Small fruit tree (Cydonia oblongata) in the rose family. Common quince is native to Iran, Turkey, and perhaps Greece and the Crimea. The raw golden-yellow fruit has a strong fragrant aroma and astringent taste; it takes on a pink colour when cooked and makes an excellent preserve. The Japanese quince (Chaenomeles species) is an ornamental shrub widely used for its flowers, which appear on the tightly branched stems before the leaves open fully in late winter and early spring.