quince

American  

[kwins] / kwɪns /

noun

1. either of two small trees, Cydonia oblonga or C. sinensis, of the rose family, bearing hard, fragrant, yellowish fruit used chiefly for making jelly or preserves.

2. the fruit of such a tree.

---

quince British  

/ kwɪns /

noun

1. a small widely cultivated Asian rosaceous tree, Cydonia oblonga, with pinkish-white flowers and edible pear-shaped fruits

2. the acid-tasting fruit of this tree, much used in preserves

3. Also: Japanese or flowering quince.  another name for japonica

---

Etymology

Origin of quince

1275–1325; Middle English quince, apparently originally plural (taken as singular) of quyne, coyn < Middle French cooin < Latin cotōneum, akin to cydōnium < Greek ( mêlon ) Kydṓnion quince, literally, (apple) of Cydonia

Example Sentences

Gently simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 75 minutes or until the quince is tender.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 31, 2023

On a recent Sunday, nearly 100 people hustled among two dozen tables, swapping their wares: used clothes, cleaning supplies, homemade pizza dough, insecticide, fried quince pastries.

From New York Times • Aug. 6, 2022

The village was under occupation by the Russian army, so Vadym went out periodically from their shell-damaged house to dig in a far corner of the garden shaded by apricot and quince trees.

From BBC • Jun. 10, 2022

In two weeks traveling through Morocco, I never ate anything more delicious than that chicken neck, although it was equaled a few nights later by a lamb and quince tagine cooked by the same woman.

From New York Times • May 31, 2022

But for the most part, these traces were obliterated, with the hedges running wild and native trees—slippery elm and tamarack—outnumbering the quince and Japanese maple.

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt