durian
Americannoun
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the edible fruit of a tree, Durio zibethinus, of the bombax family, of southeastern Asia, having a hard, prickly rind, a highly flavored, pulpy flesh, and an unpleasant odor.
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the tree itself.
noun
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a SE Asian bombacaceous tree, Durio zibethinus, having very large oval fruits with a hard spiny rind containing seeds surrounded by edible evil-smelling aril
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the fruit of this tree, which has an offensive smell but a pleasant taste: supposedly an aphrodisiac
Etymology
Origin of durian
1580–90; < Malay: a fruit with spiky skin, equivalent to duri thorn + -an nominalizer suffix
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Uncle Thing, as he's known in town, owns the durian shop, along with several farms.
From BBC
And then Vietnamese farmers pivoted to a smelly, yellow fruit - the durian.
From BBC
“There’s fruits, jackfruit and durian, these look like ‘Avatar’ fruits,’” Mulaney joked.
From Los Angeles Times
This so-called "king of all fruits" is considered a delicacy across its native Southeast Asia, where durian season is currently in full swing.
From Salon
In Chanthaburi, Thailand, a small distribution center is brimming with durians.
From New York Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
