litchi
Americannoun
plural
litchis-
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.
-
the tree itself.
noun
-
a Chinese sapindaceous tree, Litchi chinensis, cultivated for its round edible fruits
-
the fruit of this tree, which has a whitish juicy edible aril
Etymology
Origin of litchi
First recorded in 1580–90; from New Latin, from Chinese lìzhi ( lì “scallion” + zhī “branch”)
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But when done right, as here by Gundlach Bundschu, the grape yields a tightly knit wine with hints of litchi and a scent of jasmine and honeysuckle.
From Washington Post • Jun. 2, 2022
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
The wine has some of the flowery, litchi character Gewurz is known for, but it’s sneaky — those qualities emerge only as the wine opens and warms.
From Washington Post • Feb. 9, 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
About him were golden limes, ginger in syrup, litchi nuts, pickled leeches.
From Tutt and Mr. Tutt by Train, Arthur Cheney
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
