What does raisin mean?
A raisin is a dried grape, valued for its concentrated sweetness, chewy texture, and ability to preserve fruit beyond its season. The word is standard in British and American English and refers to both dark and golden dried grapes, although “sultana” more specifically denotes a small, usually seedless variety in British usage. Raisins appear in everyday foods and treats, including raisin bread, bran cereal, oatmeal cookies, rice pudding, and fruit mixtures. They also carry familiar associations of home baking, pantry staples, and quick energy. Because the word names the fruit in its preserved state rather than the fresh grape, it is especially useful when a recipe or description depends on concentrated flavor or a chewy texture. The word also has an unexpected history: French raisin originally referred to a bunch of grapes. Thus an everyday dried fruit preserves an older idea of the grape cluster from which it came.
nounA small, sweet dried grape, usually eaten whole or used as an ingredient in baked goods, cereals, and desserts.
- A sweet fruit made by drying a grape, with a concentrated flavor and chewy texture.
"The baker folded golden raisins into the cinnamon bread before taking it from the oven."
"She added raisins to the oatmeal cookies and left them to cool on a baking rack."
"The teacher used a bunch of raisins to illustrate how water is removed during food preservation."
The standard plural is “raisins,” used for both individual dried grapes and collections of them.
"A bowl of raisins sat beside the cereal on the breakfast table."
The word now meaning a dried grape originally referred to a whole bunch of grapes—a delicious little reversal of history.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does raisin come from?
Raisin entered English from Anglo-French and Old French raisin, originally a word for a bunch or cluster of grapes. The Old French word came from Latin racinus, “cluster of grapes,” which derives from Greek rhax, with the stem rhak-, meaning “bunch” or “cluster.” Related English forms such as raceme and racemose came through Latin racemus, while raisin eventually came to refer specifically to grapes preserved by drying.
How raisin is actually used
Neutral and standard in British and American English. The word covers both dark and golden dried grapes; in British English, “sultana” more specifically denotes a small, usually seedless raisin.
Easily confused with raisin
A raisin is a dried grape, whereas resin is a sticky or solid substance produced by certain trees and plants.