apple

noun

ap·​ple ˈa-pəl 

often attributive

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

Phrases

apple of one's eye

: one that is highly cherished

his daughter is the apple of his eye

Examples of apple in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The reason for the parade of customers, many of them first-time visitors, was the boxes of free fruits and vegetables -- apples, tomatoes, lettuce, potatoes and onions -- sitting atop two tables and inside multiple boxes under them. —Daniel McFadin, Arkansas Online, 4 Nov. 2025

Like King, his deal could involve an early opt-out or two to enable another bite at the apple after a fully healthy season. —Patrick McAvoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025

The pies include brown butter pumpkin, salted caramel dutch apple, classic pecan, dark chocolate brownie pie with malt marscapone, coconut cardamom sweet potato, mile-high lemon meringue chess, bourbon sour cherry, and dulce de leche banana cream pie ($35 each). —Kathryn Gregory, Louisville Courier Journal, 4 Nov. 2025

It's served with apple pikliz – a Haitian-style slaw of pickled cabbage, carrots and scotch bonnet peppers, though the Barracos add shaved apple to give it a Midwestern twist. —Keith Pandolfi, Cincinnati Enquirer, 4 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English appel, from Old English æppel; akin to Old High German apful apple, Old Irish ubull, Old Church Slavic ablŭko

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing apple

• Adam's apple
• apple butter
• apple-cheeked
• apple-knocker
• apple maggot
• apple-pie
• apple-polish
• apple scab
• (as) American as apple pie
• bad apple
• candy apple
• cedar-apple rust
• crab apple
• custard apple
• in apple-pie order
• lady apple
• love apple
• oak apple
• star apple
• sugar apple
• the apple of someone's eye
• thorn apple
• upset the apple cart

Rhymes for apple

• appal
• chapel
• dapple
• grapple
• pineapple

Kids Definition

apple

noun

ap·​ple ˈap-əl 

: a rounded fruit with a red, yellow, or green skin, firm white flesh and a seedy core

also : the tree of the rose family that bears this fruit

Medical Definition

apple

noun

ap·​ple ˈap-əl 

: 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