citrus

American  

[si-truhs] / ˈsɪ trəs /

noun

citruses plural

1. any small tree or spiny shrub of the genus Citrus, of the rue family, including the lemon, lime, orange, tangerine, grapefruit, citron, kumquat, and shaddock, widely cultivated for fruit or grown as an ornamental.

2. the tart-to-sweet, pulpy fruit of any of these trees or shrubs, having a characteristically smooth, shiny, stippled skin.

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adjective

1. Also citrous of or relating to such trees or shrubs, or their fruit.

citrus British  

/ ˈsɪtrəs /

noun

1. any tree or shrub of the tropical and subtropical rutaceous genus Citrus, which includes the orange, lemon, lime, grapefruit, citron, and calamondin

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or belonging to the genus Citrus or to the fruits of plants of this genus

citrus Scientific  

/ sĭt′rəs /

1. Any of various evergreen trees or shrubs bearing fruit with juicy flesh and a thick rind. Citrus trees are native to southern and southeast Asia but are grown in warm climates around the world. Many species have spines. The orange, lemon, lime, and grapefruit are citrus trees.

2. The usually edible fruit of one of these trees or shrubs.

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Etymology

Origin of citrus

1815–25; < New Latin, Latin: citron tree

Explanation

Oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and limes: all of these are fruits that belong to the citrus family. They share similar kinds of pulp, thick rinds, and the fact that they grow well in warm climates. If you live in Florida, then you know about citrus. Most of the country's oranges and other citrus come from Florida, with California a close second. But oranges aren't the only citrus fruits. There are lemons, limes, grapefruits, just to name just a few. You can recognize a citrus fruit by its brightly colored, thick, and peelable rind. Citrus fruits are juicy and pulpy and make for a great breakfast. Not for me, though. All the acid in citrus makes my stomach upset.

Example Sentences

With alcohol consumption ebbing again, the brand is now experimenting with a zero-alcohol citrus cocktail it calls Citrus Sin—in homage to Beam’s Prohibition-informed philosophy that not promoting agriculture and community employment was a sin.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 17, 2026

And yes, sometimes that means recommending specialty ingredients genuinely worthy of a relative splurge: the good vanilla, candied citrus, Kewpie over the bottom-shelf mayonnaise.

From Salon • May 12, 2026

The chain’s current efforts to market cheaper combo meals and new flavor options, like citrus and hot honey, were working, he said.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 29, 2026

I’ll add snappy green beans on the side, finished with a little citrus zest for lift, for a plate that feels balanced, considered and far more effortful than it actually is.

From Salon • Apr. 26, 2026

Nicknamed “San Berdoo,” it was full of citrus groves, but sat next door to the smokestacks and steel mills of Fontana.

From "Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal" by Eric Schlosser