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

Derived Forms

• ˈraisiny, adjective

Other Words From

• raisin·y 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

Add ½ to ¾ cup of raisins and 1 teaspoon each of salt, cinnamon and cloves.

From Washington Post

You can also try raisin breads or seeded breads — one blogger even succeeded with pumpkin bread — just avoid brownie mixes and more liquidy things.

From Eater

Unlock the mixer bowl and, using a spatula, gently fold in the pecans and raisins.

From Washington Post

This is essentially making wine from raisins — you concentrate the grapes’ sugar and acidity, while losing 75 percent of the juice.

From Washington Post

At best, these claims blow small bits of evidence way out of proportion—sure, raisins contain nutrients that can contribute to healthy blood pressure, but eating them won’t magically cure hypertension.

From Outside Online

Amiri Baraka echoed this sentiment 17 years after Raisin premiered—post-Birmingham, post-Medgar, post-Malcolm.

From The Daily Beast

Someone needed to write the “protest plays,” as Hansberry described Raisin.

From The Daily Beast

When Hansberry wrote A Raisin in the Sun, America was shimmering with the stirrings of social agitation.

From The Daily Beast

Raisin has racked up five Tony nominations, including Best Revival of a Play, and Best Direction of a Play.

From The Daily Beast

After the "raisin gliders," soup and a good stiff hoosh, Webb finished his observations while I recorded for him.

From Project Gutenberg

They all wore white cotton caps, men an' women; an' they made the caps themselves out of cotton of their own raisin'.

From Project Gutenberg

During that period he spent some time at Fresno, California, endeavoring to start a raisin ranch.

From Project Gutenberg

The second phase began likewise with a disaster—the needless loss of a thousand men on the Raisin River, near Detroit.

From Project Gutenberg

Why, at MacKenzie's raisin' last year he jist went round foamin' like an old boar and nobody dast say a word to him.

From Project Gutenberg