greengage

American  

[green-geyj] / ˈgrinˌgeɪdʒ /

noun

1. any of several varieties of light-green plums, as Prunus insititia italica.

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greengage British  

/ ˈɡriːnˌɡeɪdʒ /

noun

1. a cultivated variety of plum tree, Prunus domestica italica, with edible green plumlike fruits

2. the fruit of this tree

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Etymology

Origin of greengage

1715–25; green + Gage, after Sir William Gage, 18th-century English botanist who introduced such varieties from France circa 1725

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

greengage

He once wrote about asking for the local guava jelly in one of Trinidad's intellectual clubs, only to be told that they only had English greengage jam.

From Time Magazine Archive

Mode.—Roll the paste out thin; put half of it on a baking-sheet or tin, and spread equally over it apricot, greengage, or any preserve that may be preferred.

From The Book of Household Management by Beeton, Mrs. (Isabella Mary)

But the tree which I was most pleased to find was a plum, with ripe fruit about the size of a small greengage, but of a beautiful pale rose-colour.

From Wanderings by southern waters, eastern Aquitaine by Barker, Edward Harrison

There’ll be all the heads of the herrings and the greengage stones— jolly blow-out for you.”

From The Willoughby Captains by Reed, Talbot Baines

And apples, of course—three or four dozen of those good eaters—and a little pot of my greengage preserves—Edward'll like that.

From Lucy Maud Montgomery Short Stories, 1902 to 1903 by Montgomery, L. M. (Lucy Maud)