durian

American  

[door-ee-uhn, -ahn] / ˈdʊər i ən, -ˌɑn /

Or durion

noun

• durians
  plural

1. the edible fruit of a tree, Durio zibethinus, of the bombax family, of southeastern Asia, having a hard, prickly rind, a highly flavored, pulpy flesh, and an unpleasant odor.

2. the tree itself.

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durian British  

/ ˈdjʊərɪən /

noun

1. a SE Asian bombacaceous tree, Durio zibethinus, having very large oval fruits with a hard spiny rind containing seeds surrounded by edible evil-smelling aril

2. the fruit of this tree, which has an offensive smell but a pleasant taste: supposedly an aphrodisiac

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• durians
  plural

Etymology

Origin of durian

1580–90; < Malay: a fruit with spiky skin, equivalent to duri thorn + -an nominalizer suffix

Explanation

If you're traveling in Southeast Asia and you come upon an odd oval fruit that looks like a green porcupine, you have found a durian. Don't be put off by its bad smell; the inside is delicious. Although the durian has only been known by the Western world since the 16th Century, its history goes back to prehistoric times. The name comes from the Malay root word duri, meaning "thorn" or "prickle," an allusion to its spiny outer covering. Its genus, Durio, has around 30 species, and the color of the edible inside varies from creamy to red. Foodies have compared its taste to a fine custard flavored with almonds, and even the seeds are edible.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

durian durians

Vietnam's durian exports are expected to reach $4 billion this year, up from $180 million in 2021 -- 90 percent of them going to its northern neighbour.

From Barron's ● Aug. 30, 2026

Hung, a farmer who gave only one name, switched entirely from coffee to durian five years ago, but switched back two years ago, admitting it was too hard to produce the quality required.

From Barron's ● Aug. 30, 2026

Many farmers there have also switched to durian, focusing on premium varieties and fresh fruit, although the country has only a small slice of the Chinese market.

From Barron's ● Aug. 30, 2026

They say this glut, or what many have dubbed a "durian tsunami", is the result of a decade-long boom, during which Malaysians flocked to durian farming to cash in on growing Chinese demand.

From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026

One hot afternoon, the guards had just finished off a particularly ripe, particularly smelly durian, and more husks littered the pavilion ground than usual.

From "A Wish in the Dark" by Christina Soontornvat

But "our Hainan durians will always be just a supplement to Southeast Asian durians", acknowledged Feng Xuejie, a durian expert at the Hainan Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

From Barron's ● Aug. 30, 2026

For him and his family, this is a rare chance to devour durians "of good quality, and sometimes at nearly half the price of previous seasons".

From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026

He is one of many success stories in Raub, where durians have made millionaires out of farmers.

From BBC ● Jan. 10, 2026

Such pedantry is perhaps why Malaysian durians have earned a special place on the Chinese table.

From BBC ● Jan. 10, 2026

I have been spending a small fortune in durians, they are relatively cheap and very good this season in Singapore.

From My Tropic Isle by E. J. (Edmund James) Banfield