durian

or du·ri·on

[ doo r-ee-uh n, -ahn ]

/ ˈdʊər i ən, -ˌɑn /

noun

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.

the tree itself.

Nearby words

durga puja, durgah, durgapur, durham, durham rule, durian, duricrust, during, durkan, durkheim, durmast

Origin of durian

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for durian

Once I even got a Durian—Asian fruit notorious for smelling like a sweaty sock—which did not make me popular that month.
Tales of a Jailhouse Gourmet: How I learned to Cook in Prison|Daniel Genis|June 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Among the choicest, I would name the mangistan, the durian, and the pumaloe or shaddock.
Trade and Travel in the Far East|G. F. Davidson
We bought yesterday in Penang a durian, which we experimented upon to-day.
Forty Thousand Miles Over Land and Water|Lady (Ethel Gwendoline [Moffatt]) Vincent
The season of the mangosteen is the same with that of the durian.
Siam|George B. Bacon

The durian (Durio zibethinus) is also peculiar to the Malayan countries.
The History of Sumatra|William Marsden
They are enormously abundant on the island of Tawi Tawi, where the durian tree abounds.
The Philippines Past and Present (Volume 2 of 2)|Dean Conant Worcester

British Dictionary definitions for durian

durian

durion

/ (ˈdjʊərɪən) /

noun

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

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

Word Origin for durian

C16: from Malay, from duri thorn

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012