ackee

American  

[ak-ee] / ˈæk i /

Also achee or akee

noun

1. an evergreen tree, Blighia sapida, of the soapberry family, native to tropical West Africa and introduced to Jamaica, where it has become a prominent and valued part of the island’s horticulture.

   a cultivated grove of ackees.

2. the fruit of this tree, used in Caribbean cooking: although the black seeds and unripe arils are highly toxic, the fully ripened arils are edible and prized for their palatability.

   You must come to Jamaica for authentic ackee and saltfish—it’s our national dish.

---

ackee British  

/ ˈækiː /

noun

1. 1. a sapindaceous tree, Blighia sapida, native to tropical Africa and cultivated in the Caribbean for its fruit, edible when cooked

   2. the red pear-shaped fruit of this tree

2. a sapindaceous tree, Melicoccus bijugatus, that grows on some Caribbean islands and is valued for its timber and edible fruit

3. the green tough-skinned berry of this tree

---

Etymology

Origin of ackee

First recorded in 1785–95; from a dialect of Kru, a West African family of languages

Example Sentences

Their exports include many niche products like specialist rums and indigenous foods such as ackee, a fruit from Jamaica.

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2025

The ackee and saltfish are piled onto a fried dumpling, which has been cut down the middle.

From Salon • Oct. 8, 2022

That’s how you know it’s safe to cook, the author Jonathan Escoffery explained: “If you force the ackee pod open and eat the edible parts, you’ll poison yourself.”

From New York Times • Sep. 4, 2022

There are also several seafood options, including brown stew, which tastes as though it’s been slow-cooked for hours, red snapper, ackee and salt fish, and jerk shrimp.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 23, 2019

She returned a few minutes later with a large pot of codfish and ackee, the official dish of Jamaica, and a large helping of grits.

From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore