Pomelo

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈpɒmɪləʊ/

Definitions

1. A large citrus fruit with thick yellow or pink skin and pale flesh that resembles a grapefruit but is sweeter and less bitter
2. A large Asian citrus fruit with thick rind and mild, sweet pulp resembling grapefruit
3. A tropical citrus plant bearing oversized pale-fleshed fruits with bumpy yellow or pink skin and gentle sweetness

Etymology: The pomelo is the largest citrus fruit, and its name is one of the least settled in English. One candidate traces it to "pampelmoes," an earlier name that passed through French, Dutch and Portuguese and may mean "thick lemon." Another possibility is a transcription of the Tamil "pampa ḷimācu," meaning "big citrus," which would tie the name to the fruit's home region in South and Southeast Asia. A third theory proposes a compound of "pome," an old word for apple, and "melon." No such compound is actually recorded, but some early spellings of the name do seem to show the influence of "pome," which suggests that English speakers were already reshaping the word toward a more familiar shape.

Synonyms: grapefruit, citrus, fruit