litchi

American  

[lee-chee] / ˈli tʃi /

Or leechee,

noun

plural

litchis

1. the fruit of a Chinese tree, Litchi chinensis, of the soapberry family, consisting of a thin, brittle shell enclosing a sweet, jellylike pulp and a single seed.

2. the tree itself.

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litchi British  

/ ˌlaɪˈtʃiː /

noun

1. a Chinese sapindaceous tree, Litchi chinensis, cultivated for its round edible fruits

2. the fruit of this tree, which has a whitish juicy edible aril

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Etymology

Origin of litchi

First recorded in 1580–90; from New Latin, from Chinese lìzhi ( lì “scallion” + zhī “branch”)

Example Sentences

Neither did the flavors: “We’re trying to take the flavors from the Asian grocery store and share them with the world. We know litchi, we know yuzu. We know how amazing these fruits are.”

From Washington Post • May 26, 2021

Yet I have to admit, the litchi and the kiwano melon were going to nudge me right out of my comfort zone.

From Washington Post • Nov. 24, 2018

New Yorkers welcomed speckled Asian pears; papaya with its lode of dripping black seeds; rough-skinned litchi disclosing creamy white flesh; knobby cherimoya with guts of custard; star fruit with its sharp angles and plasticized shine.

From New York Times • Apr. 16, 2018

“I really like litchi, longan and rambutan—you have to peel them and take out the big kernel inside but it’s worth it,” says Ms. Chaignot, who is especially partial to longans.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 1, 2015

By some of the earlier botanical works the litchi is placed either in the genus Dimocarpus or Euphoria.

From The Nut Culturist A Treatise on Propogation, Planting, and Cultivation of Nut Bearing Trees and Shrubs Adapted to the Climate of the United States by Fuller, Andrew S.