Definition of apple
1 : the fleshy, usually rounded red, yellow, or green edible pome fruit of a usually cultivated tree (genus Malus) of the rose family; also : an apple tree — compare crab apple
2 : a fruit (such as a star apple) or other vegetative growth (such as an oak apple) suggestive of an apple
apple of one's eye
: one that is highly cherished his daughter is the apple of his eye
From the M-W Editors
Recent Examples of apple from the Web
-
Organizers are still seeking participants for the apple pie and brownie baking competitions, Vodick said.
-
Lee Calhoun, a retired Army lieutenant colonel, started hunting in North Carolina and began to see old apples as a remnant of faded Southern life.
-
Check apple, peach and other fruit trees for pests or diseases.
-
Good South African chenin blancs can offer floral, citrusy and honey-kissed notes; apple, pear, apricot and tropical fruits; and nutty and toasty expressions when the wine has been fermented in oak barrels.
-
Shelves hold packets of hemp protein smoothie powder, organic apple chips and Earth Balance popcorn.
-
The bittersweet element in apple-tree hunting is that failure often plays a big role.
-
The video, which was posted on media websites and social media, shows a group of officers in blue uniforms grabbing apples out of the back of a vehicle and hurling them at four men who are lined up at a roadside cliff, their backs to the police.
-
Gram for gram, dark chocolate, in particular, contains even higher concentrations of antioxidants than apples, black tea, and red wine.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'apple'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of apple
Middle English appel, from Old English æppel; akin to Old High German apful apple, Old Irish ubull, Old Church Slavonic ablŭko
First Known Use: before 12th century
APPLE Defined for English Language Learners
apple
playDefinition of apple for English Language Learners
-
: a round fruit with red, yellow, or green skin and firm white flesh
APPLE Defined for Kids
apple
playDefinition of apple for Students
: a round or oval fruit with red, yellow, or green skin and white flesh that grows on a spreading tree related to the rose
Medical Dictionary
apple
playMedical Definition of apple
: the fleshy usually rounded and red, yellow, or green edible pome fruit of a tree (genus Malus) of the rose family; also : an apple tree
Learn More about apple
-
See words that rhyme with apple Spanish Central: Translation of apple Nglish: Translation of apple for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of apple for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about apple
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up apple? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!