durian

or du·ri·on

[ door-ee-uhn, -ahn ]

noun
  1. 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.

  2. the tree itself.

Origin of durian

1
1580–90; <Malay: a fruit with spiky skin, equivalent to duri thorn + -an nominalizer suffix

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use durian in a sentence

  • The Durion is remarkable for its combination of an absolutely delicious flavor and an abominably offensive odor.

    Fruits of the Hawaiian Islands | Gerrit Parmile Wilder
  • Nobody throw him, he explained, him big fruit, some callum Durion nut.

  • The fruit of the durion proved not only pleasant eating, but exceedingly nutritious.

    The Castaways | Captain Mayne Reid
  • The durion is a forest tree of the loftiest order, bearing resemblance to the elm, only with a smooth bark, which is also scaly.

    The Castaways | Captain Mayne Reid
  • Having selected three or four of these, he chopped them down, and dragged them up to the durion.

    The Castaways | Captain Mayne Reid

British Dictionary definitions for durian

durian

durion

/ (ˈdjʊərɪən) /


noun
  1. 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

  2. the fruit of this tree, which has an offensive smell but a pleasant taste: supposedly an aphrodisiac

Origin of durian

1
C16: from Malay, from duri thorn

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012