muscadine

American  

[muhs-kuh-din, -dahyn] / ˈmʌs kə dɪn, -ˌdaɪn /

noun

1. a grape, Vitis rotundifolia, of the southern U.S., having dull purple, thick-skinned musky fruit and being the origin of many grape varieties.

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muscadine British  

/ -ˌdaɪn, ˈmʌskədɪn /

noun

1. a woody climbing vitaceous plant, Vitis rotundifolia, of the southeastern US

2. Also called: scuppernong.   bullace grape.  the thick-skinned musk-scented purple grape produced by this plant: used to make wine

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Etymology

Origin of muscadine

First recorded in 1535–45; muscad(el) + -ine ¹

Example Sentences

The flavor is fuller, more complex than that of table grapes, although removing muscadines from their tough, tannic skins presents a far greater challenge than popping a watery, seedless grape into your mouth mindlessly.

From Salon

Their findings could lead to better ways of producing hybrid seeds to maximize crop productivity, or to introduce seedlessness in fruit species lacking the often-desired trait, such as raspberries, blackberries or muscadine grapes.

From Science Daily

After half a century, the prison was abandoned and the land — apart from a police shooting range — was reclaimed by pines and privet, dewberry and muscadine vines.

From Los Angeles Times

Some recipes are complex, like making wine from muscadine grapes, or stuffing shad with parsley rice and serving it with roe — a two-day effort.

From New York Times

Fruit grows wild everywhere in Charleston: citrus, kumquats, berries, a variety of wild plums, and one of my seasonal favorites: the bull grape, aka muscadine or scuppernong.

From Salon