Firstfruits

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The initial yield of crops given in reverence represents an act of thanks towards a higher power
2. A portion of the earliest harvest provided in devotion highlights recognition of spiritual generosity
3. The earliest produce harvested in gratitude signifies a tribute to divine blessings through offerings made to a higher authority

Etymology: The word is a plain compound: "first" joined to "fruits", the plural of "fruit". Its earliest recorded form in English was the Middle English "frystefruytes", in which "fryste" was the older spelling of "first" and "fruytes" the older spelling of "fruits". The compound describes exactly what it names: the initial portion of a crop, gathered and set apart before the rest of the harvest is taken in. The idea behind the term is older than the English compound. The earliest yield was treated as belonging to the divine rather than to the farmer, so offering it back was a way of acknowledging that the whole harvest depended on a higher power. The English word simply gives that practice a compact name, built from two plain words that anyone could understand.

Synonyms: initial yield, harvest