pomegranate

American  

[pom-gran-it, pom-i-, puhm-] / ˈpɒmˌgræn ɪt, ˈpɒm ɪ-, ˈpʌm- /

noun

pomegranates plural

1. a chambered, many-seeded, globose fruit, having a tough, usually red rind and surmounted by a crown of calyx lobes, the edible portion consisting of pleasantly acid flesh developed from the outer seed coat.

2. the shrub or small tree, Punica granatum, that bears it, native to southwestern Asia but widely cultivated in warm regions.

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pomegranate British  

/ ˈpɒmˌɡrænɪt, ˈpɒmɪˌɡrænɪt /

noun

1. an Asian shrub or small tree, Punica granatum, cultivated in semitropical regions for its edible fruit: family Punicaceae

2. the many-chambered globular fruit of this tree, which has tough reddish rind, juicy red pulp, and many seeds

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• pomegranates
  plural

Etymology

Origin of pomegranate

1275–1325; Middle English poumgarnet, pomegarnade (< Old French pome grenate, pome gernete ), representing Medieval Latin pōmum grānātum literally, seedy apple. See pome, grenade

Explanation

A pomegranate is a large, red-skinned fruit with delicious, juicy seeds. Eating a pomegranate can be messy. You can probably find a pomegranate at a large grocery store in the produce section. It won't look very enticing, with its rough, leathery peel, but once you cut it open and pop out the ruby red seeds, you'll understand why it's many people's favorite fruit. The Latin root of pomegranate is pomum granatum, literally "apple with many seeds." Pome means "apple," and granatum comes from the Latin word for "seed or grain," granum.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pomegranate pomegranates

“I’ve been studying Community Emergency Response Team training,” the actor-musician, 41, said, drinking coffee in the living room of her home overlooking pomegranate trees and a canyon in northeast L.A.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 8, 2026

They planted olive, fig and pomegranate trees in their garden and brought furniture back from the US from the Amish community in Pennsylvania: "That's something we cannot replace," he said.

From BBC ● Apr. 23, 2026

Options already exist for fixing dyes without lead, including natural mordants derived from plants rich in tannins, such as oak bark, pomegranate peel and rosemary, as well as alum, which is considered environmentally safe.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 2, 2026

Coffee and fruit is a popular pairing among Vietnam’s younger drinkers, including those inside Blackbird’s Old Quarter location, where teens and 20-somethings sip espresso drinks spiked with banana, mango, pomegranate, kumquat, sugar cane and more.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 17, 2026

“I used to read this to your father when we were children. We’d go up the hill by our house and sit beneath the pomegranate ...” I trailed off.

From "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini

Shafts of wheat, different varieties of grapes, and colorful baskets of figs, pomegranates and other fruit sit atop spires and other structures.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 7, 2026

There were peaches, pomegranates, even a couple of bright-pink dragon fruits.

From Slate ● Jan. 27, 2026

"There are 50 to 60 trucks, some with apples, others with pomegranates and grapes," said 25-year-old Gul, who only gave his first name.

From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2025

For generations villagers have made a living growing pomegranates, almonds and peaches and foraging in the surrounding forests for wild fruits and spices.

From BBC ● Apr. 29, 2025

Hizdahr had stocked their box with flagons of chilled wine and sweetwater, with figs, dates, melons, and pomegranates, with pecans and peppers and a big bowl of honeyed locusts.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin

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