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apple
/ˈæpəl/
round fruit
I bought a red apple from the market.
The speaker purchased a red fruit commonly grown on trees.
general
A round fruit with red, green, or yellow skin and crisp white flesh.
She peeled an apple and sliced it into wedges.
The person removed the skin and cut the fruit into triangular pieces.
Often associated with health due to its fiber and vitamin C content.
botany
The tree that bears this fruit, Malus domestica.
Apple trees require well-drained soil and full sunlight.
The plant species that produces apples needs specific growing conditions.
Part of the rose family; cultivated worldwide.
culinary
The edible seed-containing core of the fruit.
Remove the core of the apple before baking.
Discard the central part containing seeds before preparing the fruit for cooking.
Often discarded or composted.
Collocations
apple piea sweet baked dessert with applesapple juiceliquid extracted from applesapple treethe tree that produces apples
Pro Tip
Memory Tip
Associate 'apple' with the phrase 'An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away' to remember its health benefits and common association with wellness.
Gold Rule
Capitalization Rule
The word 'apple' is lowercase unless it starts a sentence or is part of a proper noun (e.g., Apple Inc., Apple Park).
Word Origin
From Old English *æppel* (apple, fruit in general), derived from Proto-Germanic *aplaz*, which has cognates in Old Norse *epli*, Dutch *appel*, and German *Apfel*. The original sense broadened to mean 'fruit' in general before narrowing to the specific fruit.
Usage Notes
In Old English, *æppel* could refer to any fruit or nut, not just the apple. The modern restricted sense emerged over time. The word is also the name of a major technology company (Apple Inc.), though this is a separate proper noun usage.
Word Breakdown
apple
the fruit or tree
rootEnglish Dictionary