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

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

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

Farmers warn durian is not a one-way bet, requiring a strict mix of humidity, water and fertilisers.

From Barron's ● Aug. 30, 2026

Sixty-nine year-old Cherng, who is in the line in Singapore, tells the BBC that he has been having durian "almost every day".

From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026

No one has offered to share what I smell: sardines, dried durian, salted eggs, toasted sesame.

From "Inside Out and Back Again" by Thanhha Lai

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

Malaysia's Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority has deployed emergency interventions to protect the income of small farmers, such as purchasing durians from them at a base price.

From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026

You can see it too: the green spikes of a giant sculpture, murals painted fondly on low walls and road signs that proclaim: "Welcome to the home of Musang King durians."

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