What does pineapple mean?
Pineapple is the common name of a tropical fruit with a firm, aromatic interior and a rough, spiny rind. Its flesh may be yellow or golden, and it is eaten fresh or cooked, preserved in syrup or juice, and combined with foods such as pizza, curry, and ham. The word can also denote the leafy plant that produces the fruit, although the word pineapple normally refers to the fruit itself. Pineapples are native to tropical regions of South America, but they are now widely cultivated in warm climates around the world. In British and Irish informal usage, pineapple is also a verb meaning to dress flamboyantly or in conspicuously gaudy clothing. The compound name developed from European names that compared the fruit’s shape to a pine cone and, in its English form, paired that idea with the word apple.
A tropical fruit with a spiny rind and sweet, aromatic flesh, or the plant that produces it.
"A whole pineapple was roasted with cinnamon and cloves."
The fruit is the dominant modern sense; the plant sense is less frequent but standard.
To dress oneself, or appear, in gaudy or flamboyant clothing.
"They pineapple themselves in bright shirts and novelty ties."
Chiefly British and Irish informal usage.
Used when referring to multiple pineapples or to the species or fruit in general.
"The market sells pineapples from several tropical countries."
Despite its name, the pineapple is not an apple: its name comes from an old resemblance between the fruit and a pine cone.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does pineapple come from?
The English name dates from the early modern period and was influenced by Spanish piña, meaning “pine cone,” because of the fruit’s resemblance to that structure. The English form combines this idea with the word apple, producing the familiar compound. Its pineapple element ultimately reflects the Latin word pinea, associated with pine trees, and is related to forms such as pine and pinyon.
How pineapple is actually used
Pineapple is standard in British and American English. In British and Irish informal speech, the verb pineapple can mean to dress in gaudy or flamboyant clothes.
Easily confused with pineapple
A pineapple is the edible fruit of a tropical plant, whereas a pine cone is the reproductive structure produced by a pine tree.