custard apple

American  

noun

1. any of several trees of the genus Annona, as the cherimoya.

2. any of several other trees, as the pawpaw, Asimina triloba, bearing fruit with soft, edible pulp.

3. the fruit of any of these trees.

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custard apple British  

noun

1. a West Indian tree, Annona reticulata: family Annonaceae

2. the large heart-shaped fruit of this tree, which has a fleshy edible pulp

3. any of several related trees or fruits, esp the papaw and sweetsop

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Etymology

Origin of custard apple

First recorded in 1650–60

Example Sentences

The atemoya, a hybrid of different custard apple species with creamy white flesh encased in a rough green exterior, is a specialty of Taiwan's Taitung county.

From BBC • Jun. 22, 2026

The vast custard apple forest that girded the lake’s southern shore was torched, burning so fiercely that it set the very earth on fire.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 3, 2019

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

“You can’t put Che down,” he said, walking among the ripe citrus, avocado and custard apple trees that now fill the ravine where the Argentinian revolutionary fought his last battle.

From The Guardian • Oct. 5, 2017

Its eastern boundary consisted of a growth of custard apple.

From The Plunderer by Oyen, Henry