Caprification
noun
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A process for ripening, or pollinating, figs by means of their being punctured artificially, in a manner designed to replicate the way they are pierced by certain insects, which was once thought to aid in their reproduction. uncountable, usually
"I should conjecture […] that the caprification is either an antient process of imaginary use, and blindly followed in some countries, or that it may contribute to ripen the fig by decreasing its vigour […]."
Example
More examples"I should conjecture […] that the caprification is either an antient process of imaginary use, and blindly followed in some countries, or that it may contribute to ripen the fig by decreasing its vigour […]."
Etymology
From Latin caprifīcātiōnem, ultimately from Latin caprifīcus (“wild fig tree”).
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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.