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

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Etymology

Origin of durian

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

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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

"So I would never go back to durian again."

From Barron's ● Aug. 30, 2026

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

Vietnam only officially entered the Chinese durian market after a 2022 trade protocol but last year became the country's biggest supplier by volume, ending Thailand's near two-decade dominance.

From Barron's ● Aug. 30, 2026

But while durian lovers feast, Malaysian farmers are chagrined.

From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026

The spiky skin of a durian poked through the fabric.

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

They are waiting patiently for the free fruit the seller has been giving away daily since mid-June: two durians per customer, about 600kg a day.

From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026

"Even if only 2% of Chinese people want to buy durians, that's more than enough business," says Chee Seng Wong, factory manager of Fresco Green, a durian exporter in Raub.

From BBC ● Jan. 10, 2026

"Maybe in the beginning we only liked durians that were sweet. But now we look for things like fragrance, richness and nuanced flavours," Xu says.

From BBC ● Jan. 10, 2026

It was very varied, and much of it delicious; the mangosteens were specially appreciated, and those who could overcome their repugnance to the disgusting odor of the durians found them delicious eating.

From Among Malay Pirates : a Tale of Adventure and Peril by G. A. (George Alfred) Henty

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