guava

[gwah-vuh]

noun

any of numerous tropical and subtropical American trees or shrubs belonging to the genus Psidium, of the myrtle family, especially P. guajava, bearing large, yellow, round to pear-shaped fruit, and P. littorale, bearing smaller, yellowish to deep-red, oval fruit.

the fruit, used for making jam, jelly, etc.

Origin of guava

1545–55; < Spanish guayaba < Arawak

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

Examples from the Web for guava

Historical Examples of guava

Spread zepherettes with cream cheese and dot with Guava jelly.
The Golden Age Cook Book
Henrietta Latham Dwight
Those I bought were of Guava, cashew apple, citron, and lime.
Journal of a Voyage to Brazil
Maria Graham
“As I fear that we shall be,” muttered the master of the Guava.
Paul Gerrard
W.H.G. Kingston
And of all the oranges that ever you saw, and the guava jelly, and the pine-apples!
Little Grandfather
Sophie May
This guava is the source of the famous guava jelly of commerce.
Fruits of the Hawaiian Islands
Gerrit Parmile Wilder

British Dictionary definitions for guava

guava

noun

any of various tropical American trees of the myrtaceous genus Psidium, esp P. guajava, grown in tropical regions for their edible fruit

the fruit of such a tree, having yellow skin and pink pulp: used to make jellies, jams, etc

Word Origin for guava

C16: from Spanish guayaba, from a South American Indian word

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

Word Origin and History for guava

1550s, from Spanish guaya, variant of guayaba, from Arawakan (W. Indies) guayabo "guava tree" or Tupi guajava.