1
: a pulpy fruit related to the lychee and produced by a southeast Asian evergreen tree (Dimocarpus longan synonym Euphoria longan) of the soapberry family
2
: a tree that bears the longan
Examples of longan in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
While lychee fruit is noted for its fragrance and sweet-tart flavor, the longan’s flavor is more musky but often preferred by fruit connoisseurs .
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Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 5 June 2025
The most obvious order here is the Signature Bamboo Fungus Whole Chicken Soup, which gets your pot filled with chicken broth, plus chunks of fresh ginger, strips of coconut meat, fresh longan (a lychee-adjacent fruit), water chestnuts, and phallic, hollow cylinders of bamboo fungus.
—Hannah Goldfield, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2023
Worakanya Panyaprasertkit, a longan exporter in Thailand, said a shipment of her fruit was stuck at the border with Vietnam for 60 days.
—New York Times, 5 Feb. 2022
The produce section will offer fruits native to Asia, such as jackfruit, persimmons, longan and durian, according to a slideshow presented at the preview event.
—Priscilla Totiyapungprasert, azcentral, 22 Jan. 2020
On a hot autumn day, the 78-year-old pianist points out the longan, papaya and starfruit trees in the villa’s garden.
—The Economist, 18 Dec. 2019
Just hope your meal ends with the addictive glutinous black rice porridge, which is gently sweet and pairs well with the longan tea that'll be served alongside it.
—Hanya Yanagihara, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Sep. 2018
The North San Diego County Chapter of the California Rare Fruit Growers meets from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday featuring guest speaker Dr. Gary Bender who will give a presentation on longans, lychees and more.
—Linda McIntosh, sandiegouniontribune.com, 16 May 2018
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Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 5 June 2025
The most obvious order here is the Signature Bamboo Fungus Whole Chicken Soup, which gets your pot filled with chicken broth, plus chunks of fresh ginger, strips of coconut meat, fresh longan (a lychee-adjacent fruit), water chestnuts, and phallic, hollow cylinders of bamboo fungus.
—Hannah Goldfield, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2023
Worakanya Panyaprasertkit, a longan exporter in Thailand, said a shipment of her fruit was stuck at the border with Vietnam for 60 days.
—New York Times, 5 Feb. 2022
The produce section will offer fruits native to Asia, such as jackfruit, persimmons, longan and durian, according to a slideshow presented at the preview event.
—Priscilla Totiyapungprasert, azcentral, 22 Jan. 2020
On a hot autumn day, the 78-year-old pianist points out the longan, papaya and starfruit trees in the villa’s garden.
—The Economist, 18 Dec. 2019
Just hope your meal ends with the addictive glutinous black rice porridge, which is gently sweet and pairs well with the longan tea that'll be served alongside it.
—Hanya Yanagihara, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Sep. 2018
The North San Diego County Chapter of the California Rare Fruit Growers meets from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday featuring guest speaker Dr. Gary Bender who will give a presentation on longans, lychees and more.
—Linda McIntosh, sandiegouniontribune.com, 16 May 2018
Cite this Entry
“Longan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/longan. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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