lichee

1 of 3

noun (1)

li·​chee

less common spelling of lychee

1

or lychee nut or litchi nut or less commonly lichee nut : the small, oval to roundish fruit of a Chinese tree (Litchi chinensis) of the soapberry family having a rough or warty, yellow, pink, or reddish leathery rind and sweet to slightly acidic usually whitish edible flesh that surrounds a single large seed

Note: The lychee, grown commercially in tropical and subtropical regions, is a type of fruit called a drupe, and its edible flesh is the fruit's aril.

2

: a slow-growing tree that bears lychees and has glossy, leathery leaves and terminal clusters of tiny, apetalous, greenish-white to yellow flowers

litchi

2 of 3

noun (2)

li·​tchi

variant spelling of lychee

1

or lychee nut or litchi nut or less commonly lichee nut : the small, oval to roundish fruit of a Chinese tree (Litchi chinensis) of the soapberry family having a rough or warty, yellow, pink, or reddish leathery rind and sweet to slightly acidic usually whitish edible flesh that surrounds a single large seed

Note: The lychee, grown commercially in tropical and subtropical regions, is a type of fruit called a drupe, and its edible flesh is the fruit's aril.

2

: a slow-growing tree that bears lychees and has glossy, leathery leaves and terminal clusters of tiny, apetalous, greenish-white to yellow flowers

lychee

3 of 3

noun (3)

ly·​chee ˈlē-(ˌ)chē  ˈlī- 

variants or litchi or less commonly lichee

1

or lychee nut or litchi nut or less commonly lichee nut : the small, oval to roundish fruit of a Chinese tree (Litchi chinensis) of the soapberry family having a rough or warty, yellow, pink, or reddish leathery rind and sweet to slightly acidic usually whitish edible flesh that surrounds a single large seed

Note: The lychee, grown commercially in tropical and subtropical regions, is a type of fruit called a drupe, and its edible flesh is the fruit's aril.

2

: a slow-growing tree that bears lychees and has glossy, leathery leaves and terminal clusters of tiny, apetalous, greenish-white to yellow flowers

Examples of lichee in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In 2002, the record price paid for a piece of fruit anywhere was broken when a single litchi weighing only half an ounce was sold at an auction in southern China for $67,000. —Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 13 Dec. 2025

Noun

Bajío Sparkling Brut With a gentle, fine bubble, this offering presents a subtle brioche on the nose that gives way to a crowd-pleasing, juicy hit of lychee and white peach. —Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 22 June 2026

The farm has pink and Thai guavas year-round, while lychee trees are in season around May until the end of June. —Delia Rose Sauer, Miami Herald, 19 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (3)

Chinese (Beijing) lìzhī

First Known Use

Noun (3)

1588, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for lichee

• bitchy
• itchy
• pitchy

Kids Definition

lichee

variant of lychee