litchi

Or lee·chee,

[lee-chee]

noun

plural

litchis 

1. the fruit of a Chinese tree, Litchi chinensis, of the soapberry family, consisting of a thin, brittle shell enclosing a sweet, jellylike pulp and a single seed.

2. the tree itself.

litchi

/ ˌlaɪˈtʃiː /

noun

1. a Chinese sapindaceous tree, Litchi chinensis, cultivated for its round edible fruits

2. the fruit of this tree, which has a whitish juicy edible aril

Word History and Origins

Origin of litchi¹

First recorded in 1580–90; from New Latin, from Chinese lìzhi ( lì “scallion” + zhī “branch”)

Word History and Origins

Origin of litchi¹

C16: from Cantonese lai chi

Example Sentences

Refill my glass, please, and I’ll try to smell the litchi.

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Alongside the garden’s strutting peacocks, the notebook-wielding jury members sniff and scope their way through the alleyways, the noses among them decrypting the precise litchi, citrus and clove notes of the flowers.

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But when done right, as here by Gundlach Bundschu, the grape yields a tightly knit wine with hints of litchi and a scent of jasmine and honeysuckle.

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Flavors of white flowers and tropical fruit — think star fruit, litchi and jasmine — with a soft texture that caresses the palate.

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It’s not just the flavors, which highlight yuzu and litchi instead of the yawn-inducing black cherry or grapefruit.

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