kiwifruit
kiwifruit Lexical Profile
kiwifruit Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The oval edible berry of a woody climbing vine native to China (primarily Actinidia deliciosa), having a fuzzy brown skin and sweet, tart green or golden flesh speckled with tiny black seeds.
"She sliced a ripe kiwifruit and arranged the bright green rounds on top of the pavlova."
The vigorous deciduous climbing vine of the genus Actinidia (family Actinidiaceae) that produces this edible berry, widely cultivated in temperate regions.
"Because the kiwifruit is dioecious, commercial orchards must plant both male and female vines to ensure pollination."
Word Nuance & Usage
In New Zealand and Australia, the full compound "kiwifruit" is strongly preferred to avoid confusion with "kiwi," which refers either to the native flightless bird or (when capitalized) to a citizen of New Zealand.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in New Zealand in 1959 by produce exporters Turners and Growers to replace the earlier name "Chinese gooseberry," referencing the fuzzy brown fruit's visual resemblance to the native kiwi bird.