papaya
papaya Lexical Profile
papaya Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A large, oval or melon-like tropical fruit with a green to orange rind, sweet yellowish-orange flesh, and a central cavity filled with small black seeds, native to the Americas but widely cultivated in tropical regions globally.
"For breakfast, she enjoyed a bowl of freshly diced papaya topped with a squeeze of lime juice."
A fast-growing tropical and subtropical tree belonging to the family Caricaceae, native to Mesoamerica, characterized by an unbranched, relatively soft trunk and a terminal crown of large, deeply lobed leaves.
"The farmers planted a new grove of papaya in the fertile volcanic soil to increase their export yield."
Word Nuance & Usage
In North America, 'pawpaw' refers to a completely different native fruit tree (Asimina triloba), whereas in British, Australian, and Caribbean English, 'pawpaw' is frequently used as a direct synonym for 'papaya'.
• Rhymes for papaya
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed into English in the late 16th century via Spanish and Portuguese 'papaya', originally from an Arawakan language (likely Taino) spoken by indigenous Caribbean peoples.