grapefruit

noun

grape·​fruit ˈgrāp-ˌfrüt How to pronounce grapefruit (audio)
1
plural grapefruit or grapefruits : a large round citrus fruit with a bitter yellow rind and a juicy somewhat tart pale yellow, pink, or reddish pulp
2
: a small citrus tree (Citrus paradisi) that produces grapefruit

Examples of grapefruit in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web And in August 2019 a monster grapefruit broke two records and became the world’s heaviest and largest grapefruit by circumference. Jack Guy, CNN, 15 Mar. 2024 The drinks come in four flavors — black cherry, peach, grapefruit and lime. Antonia Debianchi, Peoplemag, 5 Mar. 2024 Bright, crisp, clean and fresh aromas that include grapefruits and lime. Tom Mullen, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024 Harvest citrus now, including limes, kumquats, mandarins, grapefruits, lemons, tangelos and navel oranges. Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Feb. 2024 For those who want a little kick with their sparkling water there’s Truly Spiked and Sparkling, a low-calorie malt beverage in flavors of lime, grapefruit and pomegranate. Sara Liss, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024 And the flavor is complex: citrusy, thanks to the grapefruit, but also a touch floral, courtesy of both the elderflower and Lillet, with the latter adding a hard-to-pinpoint complexity. Emily Heil, Washington Post, 24 Jan. 2024 The formula also includes grapefruit oil (which has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties), and vitamin C, which brightens skin, leaving it with a radiant glow. Jamie Allison Sanders, Peoplemag, 28 Feb. 2024 Delicate fresh fruit with tropical tones or peach, pineapple and a little pink grapefruit tang. Lana Bortolot, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'grapefruit.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1814, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of grapefruit was in 1814

Dictionary Entries Near grapefruit

Cite this Entry

“Grapefruit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grapefruit. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

grapefruit

noun
grape·​fruit ˈgrāp-ˌfrüt How to pronounce grapefruit (audio)
1
plural grapefruit or grapefruits : a large citrus fruit with a bitter yellow rind and a highly flavored somewhat acid juicy pulp
2
: a tree that bears grapefruit

More from Merriam-Webster on grapefruit

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!