litchi

American  

[lee-chee] / ˈli tʃi /

Or leechee,

noun

litchis plural

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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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• litchis
  plural

Etymology

Origin of litchi

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

Example Sentences

It’s not just the flavors, which highlight yuzu and litchi instead of the yawn-inducing black cherry or grapefruit.

From Washington Post • May 26, 2021

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

“It’s kind of a bit like litchi but has a rose flavor to it and pairs well with strawberries. I’d add just a little bit of lime juice and maybe one pear, sliced thinly.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 1, 2015

“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

I have been informed that the natives of the Philippines prepare from the litchi nut a vegetable milk for feeding infants deprived of their natural nourishment.

From Northern Nut Growers Association Report of the Proceedings at the Eleventh Annual Meeting Washington, D. C. October 7 and 8, 1920 by Northern Nut Growers Association