grape

American  

[greyp] / greɪp /

noun

• grapes
  plural

1. the edible, pulpy, smooth-skinned berry or fruit that grows in clusters on vines of the genus Vitis, and from which wine is made.

2. any vine bearing this fruit.

3. a dull, dark, purplish-red color.

4. (used with a singular verb) grapes,

   1. tuberculosis occurring in cattle, characterized by the internal formation of grapelike clusters, especially in the lungs.

   2. tuberculosis occurring in horses, characterized by grapelike clusters on the fetlocks.

5. grapeshot.

6. the grape, wine.

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grape British  

/ ɡreɪp /

noun

1. the fruit of the grapevine, which has a purple or green skin and sweet flesh: eaten raw, dried to make raisins, currants, or sultanas, or used for making wine

2. any of various plants that bear grapelike fruit, such as the Oregon grape

3. See grapevine

4. an informal term for wine

5. See grapeshot

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grape Idioms  

1. see sour grapes.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• grapeless
  adjective
• grapelike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• grapes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of grape

1200–50; Middle English < Old French, variant of crape cluster of fruit or flowers, originally hook (for pruning vines) < Germanic; compare German Krapf hook and grapple ( def. ), grapnel

Explanation

A grape is a small, sweet fruit that grows in clusters on a vine. Most grapes are either purple or green, and they make a delicious addition to a fruit salad. Though grapes naturally contain tiny seeds, many varieties of so-called "table grapes" are bred to be seedless, so you can pop one grape after another in your mouth. Dried grapes are known as raisins, and this versatile berry is used to make many other products, including jelly, juice, and wine. Experts believe the word grape comes from an Old French verb, graper, "catch with a hook" or "pick grapes off the vine."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

grape grapes

"To see nanoscale structures with standard electron microscopy, we fix and dehydrate the tissues, but freezing them retains their shape -- similar to freezing a grape rather than dehydrating it into a raisin," Watanabe said.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 17, 2026

All are hybrids - crossbred varieties created by combining two or more distinct grape species.

From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026

Now heatwaves are threatening the grape crop and raising costs for the 2026 vintage, he said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026

Announced last week in a post on Instagram, the drink was described as a “clarified tonic” with coconut water, jasmine tea, raw honey, holy basil, anise hyssop, green cardamom, white grape juice and coconut milk.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 11, 2026

“You’re a long mile prettier than a grape or a squash, and you needed a long mile less rescuing. I never caught an ogre so neatly before.”

From "Ella Enchanted" by Gail Carson Levine

The extreme heat and drought produced grapes with exceptionally higher sugar levels.

From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026

Growers had to harvest exceptionally early this year as extreme heat sped sugar buildup -- and hence natural alcohol production -- in the grapes, according to the Comite Champagne industry association.

From Barron's ● Sep. 9, 2026

Pterostilbene is a naturally occurring polyphenol found in blueberries, grapes, and other berries.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 5, 2026

Then temperatures rose to a record-breaking 108 degrees Fahrenheit in June, and co-owner Philibert Perrin noticed the leaves of his Cabernet Sauvignon grapes turning yellow and shriveling, an ominous sign.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026

“Brother Michael’s pears and grapes are a welcome treat to my thirsty throat,” said John.

From "The Door in the Wall" by Marguerite de Angeli