papaya

noun

pa·​pa·​ya pə-ˈpī-ə 

: a tropical American tree (Carica papaya of the family Caricaceae, the papaya family) having an oblong to globose yellow edible fruit with numerous black seeds in a central cavity

also : its fruit

Examples of papaya in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The prominent actress teased her fashion partnership by attending Sarah Burton’s debut Givenchy fashion show last March wearing a slim, one-sleeve dress in a striking papaya color, and toting a mini Antigona bag in box leather. —Miles Socha, Footwear News, 29 Aug. 2025

The fruit tree likely got its name from early Europeans in North America, who mistook the pawpaw for the unrelated but similar-looking papaya, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation. —Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2025

Made with the brand’s proprietary L-Beauty Ferment, plus papaya and pineapple enzymes, the organic product exudes vine-ripe tomato freshness. —Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025

These figures will, almost certainly, be teammates wearing papaya race suits. —Luke Smith, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, of American Indian origin; akin to Arawak papáia papaya

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for papaya

• messiah
• nyaya
• pariah
• rupiah
• shariah
• vinaya
• gaia
• maia
• maya
• playa
• via
• jeremiah

Kids Definition

papaya

noun

pa·​pa·​ya pə-ˈpī-ə 

: an oblong edible yellow fruit with many black seeds that grows on a tropical American tree with large leaves

also : the tree

Medical Definition

papaya

noun

pa·​pa·​ya pə-ˈpī-ə 

: a tropical American tree of the genus Carica (C. papaya) with large oblong yellow edible fruit

also : its fruit which is the source of papain