Guava

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈɡwɑːvə/

Definitions

1. A fruit native to tropical regions, recognized for its sweet taste and fragrant aroma, which can be green or yellow externally
2. A small, round or oval tropical fruit with a soft, juicy interior that varies in color and is prized for its distinct flavor and health benefits
3. A tropical fruit characterized by its sweet flavor and fragrant scent, typically having a smooth skin that ranges from green to yellow and a soft, edible flesh

Etymology: The fruit's name travelled a long way before reaching English. It comes from the Taíno language of the Caribbean, where a word like "wayaba" named the fruit, and the Spanish who encountered it in the Americas adopted it as "guayaba." English took the word from Spanish, and the first recorded English use dates from 1555. English also kept a second form of the same word. "Guayaba" and "guava" are doublets, two forms of one source that entered the language by different routes, and the longer spelling is now rare or obsolete in English. Both trace back to the same Taíno root, so the fruit's name has stayed close to its Caribbean origin despite crossing an ocean and a language barrier.

Synonyms: tropical fruit