raisin

[rey-zin]

noun

1. a grape of any of various sweet varieties dried in the sun or by artificial means, often used in cooking.

2. dark purplish blue.

raisin

/ ˈreɪzən /

noun

1. a dried grape

Other Word Forms

• raisiny adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of raisin¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English raisin, reisin, from Old French, from unattested Vulgar Latin racīmus, for Latin racēmus; raceme

Word History and Origins

Origin of raisin¹

C13: from Old French: grape, ultimately from Latin racēmus cluster of grapes; compare Greek rhax berry, grape

Example Sentences

One stall sold slices of mangoes brought in from Jazan, the fertile southern province famous for its tropical fruits, wheat and coffee; others sold raisins, spices, nuts and gourmet honey from Yemen.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Wittgenstein’s aphorisms sparkle, but he recognized he overused them, admitting that “raisins may be the best part of a cake; but a bag of raisins is not better than a cake.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The sweet-and-savory notes of the ground beef, raisins and olives in the picadillo mingle with the fries, making each bite a little adventure.

Read more on Salon

“What we eat says a lot about our identity. Caviar is posh. Rum raisin ice cream is for old people. Mormons love dirty sodas,” Goodspeed said.

Read more on Salon

I'm sceptical when she tells me to hold a raisin and look, feel, smell, listen and - eventually - put it in my mouth.

Read more on BBC