cherimoya

American  

[cher-uh-moi-uh] / ˌtʃɛr əˈmɔɪ ə /

Rarely cherimoyer

noun

1. a tropical American tree, Annona cherimola, having leaves with velvety, hairy undersides and yellow-to-brown fragrant flowers.

2. the large, edible fruit of this tree, having leathery, scalelike skin and soft pulp.

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Etymology

Origin of cherimoya

First recorded in 1730–40; from Latin American Spanish chirimoya, name of the fruit; of uncertain origin; alleged analysis as Quechua chiri “cold” + muyu “wheel, circle” is probably spurious

Example Sentences

"It is commonly referred to as the 'custard apple' because of all the sweetness. Try a cherimoya and you'll understand why Mark Twain called the fruit 'the most delicious known to man.'"

From Salon • Mar. 12, 2022

But there are also illustrations of fruits I’ve never heard of: chayote, sweetsop, cherimoya, sapodilla, passiflora and mammee apple.

From Washington Post • Jun. 21, 2021

Ripe cherimoya, also known as custard apple, has the miraculous ability to taste like bananas, pears, pineapples and about six other, equally delicious fruits at the same time.

From New York Times • Nov. 12, 2019

"I was out looking at a cherimoya orchard in Carpinteria on Friday, and it didn't get hit by fire or heat, but there were a lot of cherimoyas on the ground."

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 19, 2017

Pineapples touch perfection on Java soil; cherimoya and mango, papaya and the various custard-fruits, the lovely but tasteless rose-apple, and the dark green equatorial orange of delicious flavour, afford a host of unfamiliar experiences.

From Through the Malay Archipelago by Richings, Emily