pineapple

noun

pine·​ap·​ple ˈpī-ˌna-pəl 

1

a

: a tropical monocotyledonous plant (Ananas comosus of the family Bromeliaceae, the bromeliad family) that has rigid spiny-margined recurved leaves and a short stalk with a dense oblong head of small abortive flowers

b

: the large edible multiple fruit of the pineapple that consists of the sweet succulent fleshy inflorescence

2

: a hand grenade

Examples of pineapple in a Sentence

a can of chopped pineapple

Recent Examples on the Web

Smart brands like Amazi have revolutionized the fruit snack space—dehydrating everything from pineapple to jackfruit and plantains. —Andrea Strong, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 Jan. 2026

Mollé Pâtisserie This contemporary Chinese bakery blends Asian desserts with French pastry, offering everything from mochi and pineapple buns to tarts and opéras infused with flavors like yuzu, taro, matcha, and durian. —Angela Lian, Travel + Leisure, 10 Jan. 2026

Tacos, which include grouper and coconut shrimp, come with pineapple slaw, black bean and corn salsa, and chips. —Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 9 Jan. 2026

Houphouet-Boigny helped Ivory Coast’s economy grow significantly by scaling up the production of cocoa, coffee, coconuts and pineapples. —Jay Harris, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1624, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing pineapple

• pineapple guava
• pineapple sage

Rhymes for pineapple

• appal
• apple
• chapel
• dapple
• grapple

Kids Definition

pineapple

noun

pine·​ap·​ple ˈpī-ˌnap-əl 

: a tropical plant with stiff spiny sword-shaped leaves and a short flowering stalk that develops into an edible fruit with usually pale yellow sweet juicy flesh and very thick skin

also : this fruit

Etymology

Middle English pinappel "the cone of a pine"; so called because the fruit looks like the cone from a pine tree

Medical Definition

pineapple

noun

pine·​ap·​ple ˈpī-ˌnap-əl 

1

: a tropical monocotyledonous plant (Ananas comosus of the family Bromeliaceae, the pineapple family) that has rigid spiny-margined recurved leaves and a short stalk with a dense oblong head of small abortive flowers

2

: the multiple fruit of the pineapple that consists of the succulent fleshy inflorescence and whose juice is the source of the proteolytic enzyme bromelain