avocado

American  

[av-uh-kah-doh, ah-vuh-] / ˌæv əˈkɑ doʊ, ˌɑ və- /

noun

• avocados
  plural

1. Also called alligator pear. a large, usually pear-shaped fruit having green to blackish skin, a single large seed, and soft, light-green pulp, borne by the tropical American tree Persea americana and its variety P. adrymifolia, often eaten raw, especially in salads.

2. the tree itself.

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avocado British  

/ ˌævəˈkɑːdəʊ /

noun

1. a pear-shaped fruit having a leathery green or blackish skin, a large stony seed, and a greenish-yellow edible pulp

2. the tropical American lauraceous tree, Persea americana, that bears this fruit

3. 1. a dull greenish colour resembling that of the fruit

   2. (as modifier)

      an avocado bathroom suite

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• avocados
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of avocado

1690–1700; alteration of Spanish abogado literally, lawyer ( see advocate), by confusion with Mexican Spanish aguacate < Nahuatl āhuacatl avocado, testicle; cf. alligator pear

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Explanation

An avocado is a fruit with a thick green skin and mild, creamy flesh. If you've ever eaten guacamole, you've tasted avocado. It might seem strange that an avocado is a fruit, because it's not sweet. Avocados have to be cut open before you eat them, and the hard pit in the middle needs to be removed. The inside of an avocado is firm but soft, a pale green shade. The word avocado is Spanish, from aguacate, and rooted in a Proto-Aztecan word, *pawa, that also meant avocado.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

avocado avocados

For now, plug your wired headphones into your iPhone 6S, press play on the Hamilton soundtrack, and order as many avocado toasts you want.

From Slate ● Nov. 4, 2026

Despite the additional fruits, the avocado and mango group did not experience significant changes in body weight or overall calorie intake.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 3, 2026

I could eat it every day with a side of avocado.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026

The “slop bowl” became internet shorthand for the familiar fast-casual mash-up — grains, greens, globally inspired protein, sauce, perhaps an avocado surcharge — assembled with the logic of a cafeteria line and an over-$10 price.

From Salon ● Oct. 3, 2026

“Garlic soup, curried prawns, avocado salad—if these don’t give you nice dreams, I don’t know what will.”

From "The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm" by Nancy Farmer

Customers could specify how ripe they wanted their avocados, leave detailed instructions and select acceptable substitutions in advance.

From Salon ● Oct. 25, 2026

Anyone with a little capital planted avocados and did the same.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 6, 2026

Ripe fruit would fall off trees and be eaten by dogs, earning avocados the unappetising name dog fruit, he says.

From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026

Two years later, when Meghan did so, the Daily Mail blamed eating avocados for causing droughts and human rights abuse.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

Even though I think avocados are weird and gross, I’m excellent at choosing the perfect ones.

From "Hello, Universe" by Erin Entrada Kelly

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