What does "grapefruit" mean?
The tree of the species Citrus paradisi, a hybrid of Citrus maxima and sweet orange.
Grapefruit
/ˈɡɹeɪpfɹuːt/ noun
noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The tree of the species Citrus paradisi, a hybrid of Citrus maxima and sweet orange.
- Grammar: grapefruit is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: berry, citrus paradisi, citrus sinensis × citrus grandis, citrus sinensis × citrus maxima.
- Useful contrasts: colorless.
- Usage evidence: I prefer grapefruit to oranges.
How to use "grapefruit"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "grapefruit" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "grapefruit" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "grapefruit" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "grapefruit" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "grapefruit" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "berry" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "grapefruit", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The tree of the species Citrus paradisi, a hybrid of Citrus maxima and sweet orange. countable, uncountable
"Results have begun to come in and at Comfort Castle this month I spent a useful and happy half day carting round 8 children in my car to their homes where we all helped to fill in with good soil and manure, their excellently dug holes and planted the grapefruit."
- 2 large yellow fruit with somewhat acid juicy pulp; usual serving consists of a half wordnet
- 3 The large spherical tart fruit produced by this tree. countable, uncountable
"Grapefruit is high in vitamin C. The pink and red varieties contain vitamin A (betacarotene) and lycopene, an antioxidant that may help prevent cancer. Grapefruit contains a chemical that can alter intestinal absorption of some medications and lead to higher than normal blood levels of some drugs and potential problems."
- 4 citrus tree bearing large round edible fruit having a thick yellow rind and juicy somewhat acid pulp wordnet
- 5 Large breasts; by extension, a woman with large breasts. countable, plural-normally, uncountable, vulgar
"Cupping her grapefruits in her hands, she closed her eyes and imagined her date grasping them, exploring their size, weight, and firmness."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"I prefer grapefruit to oranges."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "grapefruit"?
Common synonyms include: berry, citrus paradisi, citrus sinensis × citrus grandis, citrus sinensis × citrus maxima, citrus × paradisi, ebony.
How do you use "grapefruit" in a sentence?
I prefer grapefruit to oranges.
How do you pronounce "grapefruit"?
Pronounced /ˈɡɹeɪpfɹuːt/.
Etymology
Widely assumed to be a marketing term from grape + fruit, an allusion to the supposed grapelike clusters of fruit on the tree, early 19th c. Ciardi proposes another theory: one of the pomelo's botanical names is Citrus grandis, meaning "great citrus [fruit]", due to the size of its fruit. A new pomelo variety might first have been called a "greatfruit" (see greatfruit), and through the process of assimilation, the word came to be pronounced "grapefruit".