pomegranate

American  

[pom-gran-it, pom-i-, puhm-] / ˈpɒmˌgræn ɪt, ˈpɒm ɪ-, ˈpʌm- /

noun

pomegranates plural

1. a chambered, many-seeded, globose fruit, having a tough, usually red rind and surmounted by a crown of calyx lobes, the edible portion consisting of pleasantly acid flesh developed from the outer seed coat.

2. the shrub or small tree, Punica granatum, that bears it, native to southwestern Asia but widely cultivated in warm regions.

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pomegranate British  

/ ˈpɒmˌɡrænɪt, ˈpɒmɪˌɡrænɪt /

noun

1. an Asian shrub or small tree, Punica granatum, cultivated in semitropical regions for its edible fruit: family Punicaceae

2. the many-chambered globular fruit of this tree, which has tough reddish rind, juicy red pulp, and many seeds

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• pomegranates
  plural

Etymology

Origin of pomegranate

1275–1325; Middle English poumgarnet, pomegarnade (< Old French pome grenate, pome gernete ), representing Medieval Latin pōmum grānātum literally, seedy apple. See pome, grenade

Explanation

A pomegranate is a large, red-skinned fruit with delicious, juicy seeds. Eating a pomegranate can be messy. You can probably find a pomegranate at a large grocery store in the produce section. It won't look very enticing, with its rough, leathery peel, but once you cut it open and pop out the ruby red seeds, you'll understand why it's many people's favorite fruit. The Latin root of pomegranate is pomum granatum, literally "apple with many seeds." Pome means "apple," and granatum comes from the Latin word for "seed or grain," granum.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pomegranate pomegranates

“I’ve been studying Community Emergency Response Team training,” the actor-musician, 41, said, drinking coffee in the living room of her home overlooking pomegranate trees and a canyon in northeast L.A.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 8, 2026

Options already exist for fixing dyes without lead, including natural mordants derived from plants rich in tannins, such as oak bark, pomegranate peel and rosemary, as well as alum, which is considered environmentally safe.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 2, 2026

The pendant unites the Tudor rose with Katherine's pomegranate symbol, and features a banner that reads "tousiors", the old French for "always".

From BBC ● Feb. 9, 2026

When people asked for flavors like pomegranate or passion fruit, Swig gave it a shot, and customers stayed loyal.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 5, 2026

Grace took some pomegranate seeds, then some strawberries, before realizing that she was choosing things that would be healthy for Peach.

From "Far from the Tree" by Robin Benway

Shafts of wheat, different varieties of grapes, and colorful baskets of figs, pomegranates and other fruit sit atop spires and other structures.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 7, 2026

There were peaches, pomegranates, even a couple of bright-pink dragon fruits.

From Slate ● Jan. 27, 2026

Kabul also sent apples and pomegranates to Russia for the first time last month.

From Barron's ● Nov. 21, 2025

For generations villagers have made a living growing pomegranates, almonds and peaches and foraging in the surrounding forests for wild fruits and spices.

From BBC ● Apr. 29, 2025

Other vendors along the street were starting to arrange their wares—rubber sandals, wool shawls, toys, baskets of pomegranates, cinnamon sticks, and cloves.

From "Rickshaw Girl" by Mitali Perkins

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