avocado

[av-uh-kah-doh, ah-vuh-]

noun

plural

avocados 

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.

avocado

/ 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of avocado¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of avocado¹

C17: from Spanish aguacate, from Nahuatl ahuacatl testicle, alluding to the shape of the fruit

Example Sentences

Cava also offers things like tiered status—perks for people who visit more often—free pita chips and letting customers cash in points for avocado.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Mexico—the U.S.’s top trading partner and a chief supplier of avocados and other produce—accounted for $9 billion in imports of the food now exempted from the reciprocal tariffs.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The president has cut tariffs on grocery items like coffee, bananas, beef and avocados.

Read more on BBC

The exemptions covered other Ghanaian agricultural products including cashew nuts, avocados, bananas, mangoes, plantain, pineapples, coconuts, ginger and peppers, he said.

Read more on Barron's

The index measures price movements for three eggs, a glass of milk, a bagel and an avocado.

Read more on Los Angeles Times