Grapey

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Possessing a flavor or scent that is evocative of grapes
2. Characterized by a taste or smell that closely resembles that of grapes
3. Having a flavor or fragrance similar to that of grapes

Etymology: "Grapey" is a plain formation: the noun "grape" with the suffix "-y", which turns a noun into an adjective meaning "having the qualities of" or "characterized by" the noun. The Middle English form "grapy" was built the same way, so the word has been used in English for centuries in its basic sense of tasting or smelling like grapes. The more surprising part is that "grapey" was not just a neat extension of "grape." The source records that the word was also influenced by "rapey," a form of the older adjective meaning "rapid" or "hasty" in its earlier sense, a reminder that English adjectives often borrow sound and shape from neighbours that share a similar pattern. Grapes themselves came into English from Old French "grape," meaning a bunch of grapes or a hook, which is why the fruit's name sometimes carries that cluster sense.

Synonyms: fruity, grape-like, vinous, tasting of grapes, grape-flavored