Jump To:

• fig
  fig

  noun

  any tree or shrub belonging to the genus Ficus, of the mulberry family, especially a small tree, F. carica, native to southwestern Asia, bearing a turbinate or pear-shaped fruit that is eaten fresh, preserved, or dried.
• fig.
  fig.

  abbreviation

  figurative.

fig

¹ American  

[fig] / fɪg /

noun

1. any tree or shrub belonging to the genus Ficus, of the mulberry family, especially a small tree, F. carica, native to southwestern Asia, bearing a turbinate or pear-shaped fruit that is eaten fresh, preserved, or dried.

2. the fruit of such a tree or shrub, or of any related species.

3. any of various plants having a fruit somewhat resembling this.

4. a contemptibly trifling or worthless amount; the least bit.

   His help wasn't worth a fig.

5. a gesture of contempt.

---

fig ² American  

[fig] / fɪg /

noun

1. dress or array.

   to appear at a party in full fig.

2. condition.

   to feel in fine fig.

---

fig. ³ American  

abbreviation

1. figurative.

2. figuratively.

3. figure; figures.

---

fig ¹ British  

/ fɪɡ /

noun

1. any moraceous tree or shrub of the tropical and subtropical genus Ficus , in which the flowers are borne inside a pear-shaped receptacle

2. the fruit of any of these trees, esp of F. carica , which develops from the receptacle and has sweet flesh containing numerous seedlike structures

3. any of various plants or trees having a fruit similar to this

4. a succulent plant, Mesembryanthemum edule , of southern Africa, having a capsular fruit containing edible pulp: family Aizoaceae

5. (used with a negative) something of negligible value; jot

   I don't care a fig for your opinion

6. Also: feg.  dialect a piece or segment from an orange

7. Also called: fico.  an insulting gesture made with the thumb between the first two fingers or under the upper teeth

---

fig ² British  

/ fɪɡ /

verb

1. to dress (up) or rig (out)

2. to administer stimulating drugs to (a horse)

---

noun

1. dress, appearance, or array (esp in the phrase in full fig )

2. physical condition or form

   in bad fig

fig. ³ British  

abbreviation

1. figurative(ly)

2. figure

---

fig Idioms  

1. see under not give a damn.

---

Etymology

Origin of fig¹

1175–1225; Middle English fige < Old French < Old Provençal figa < Vulgar Latin *fīca, for Latin fīcus

Origin of fig²

1685–95; earlier feague to liven, whip up < German fegen to furbish, sweep, clean; akin to fair ¹

Explanation

A fig is a flowering tree that grows in warm climates. The fruit that grows on a fig is also called a fig. The fig, or fig tree, is happiest in dry, sunny climates like those in the Middle East and the Mediterranean region. The figs that grow on these trees is very sweet, with a green skin that ripens to a purple, brown, or yellowish color. An interesting quirk of the fig is that it needs a specific type of wasp for pollination in order to produce seeds. The Latin root of fig is ficus.

Example Sentences

Few other fig- ures could have administered so impressively the prefatory rebukes to the Brown Derby which Spokesman Hughes uttered.

From Time Magazine Archive

I couldn’t fig- ure out exactly what this word meant, whether it meant broken in one or several places, cleanly or badly, and I didn’t ask.

From "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles

Beneath the windows of our room was a grove of fig- trees.

From A Woman's Life-Work — Labors and Experiences by Haviland, Laura S.

Almost every palm was serving as a prop for a fig- tree.

From Through the Brazilian Wilderness by Roosevelt, Theodore

The garden itself is clad with a number of mulberry and fig- trees, the soil being specially suitable for the former trees, though it is not so kindly to the others.

From Letters of the Younger Pliny, First Series — Volume 1 by Firth, John Benjamin