fruity
fruity Lexical Profile
fruity Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Resembling or containing fruit, especially in having a sweet, pleasant flavor or aroma (often used of wine or other beverages).
"The sommelier recommended a light, fruity red wine to pair with the grilled salmon."
British (Of a voice or sound) rich, deep, and mellow in tone, sometimes to an affected degree.
"The veteran stage actor greeted the audience in his signature fruity baritone."
North American (Slang) eccentric, quirky, or mildly crazy; also used (sometimes disparagingly or reclaimed playfully) to mean flamboyantly gay or effeminate.
"Everyone in the neighborhood knew the artist for his fruity sense of humor and eccentric wardrobe."
British (Informal) mildly sexually suggestive, earthy, or risqué.
"The comedian's routine was full of fruity innuendos that had the audience laughing."
Word Nuance & Usage
While entirely neutral in culinary and wine-tasting contexts, 'fruity' has informal slang uses in North America (meaning eccentric or flamboyantly gay, which can be offensive depending on context) and in British English (meaning mildly sexually suggestive).
• Rhymes for fruity
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed in the 17th century from the noun 'fruit' (via Old French from Latin 'fructus', meaning 'enjoyment of produce' or 'harvest') plus the adjective-forming suffix '-y'.