quince
Americannoun
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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.
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the fruit of such a tree.
noun
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a small widely cultivated Asian rosaceous tree, Cydonia oblonga, with pinkish-white flowers and edible pear-shaped fruits
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the acid-tasting fruit of this tree, much used in preserves
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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
Explanation
A quince is a flowering tree whose fruit is also called quince. A quince looks a lot like a pear, although most varieties taste very sour. Quince trees are often grown ornamentally, rather than for their fruit — their soft, wide pink or white blossoms are beautiful, and many varieties smell just as lovely. The fruit of some quinces is sweet enough to be eaten raw, but most is harvested for jam or jelly, or added to other fruit in pies. Quince can also be fermented and made into wine and digestifs.
Vocabulary lists containing quince
Scrabble: Words that Begin with Q
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"The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet," Vocabulary from Act 4
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2015 National Spelling Bee Words
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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.
“I have a box of quince, another of stone fruit peaches and plums,” he’ll text.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 2, 2026
Black irises, poppies and flowering quince from her garden adorned vases, shallow banchan dishes and scalloped serving trays.
From New York Times • Mar. 14, 2024
“I have people tell me years later they still remember, that they will always remember being in the quince room.”
From Seattle Times • Oct. 31, 2023
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
Basil puffed out his narrow chest as he absentmindedly ate one of Matthias’s quince tarts.
From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques
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.
