Medlar

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Medlar \Med"lar\, n. [OE. medler medlar tree, OF. meslier, F.
     n['e]flier, L. mespilum, mespilus, Gr. ?, ?. Cf.
     {Naseberry}.]
     A tree of the genus {Mespilus} ({Mespilus Germanica}); also,
     the fruit of the tree. The fruit is something like a small
     apple, but has a bony endocarp. When first gathered the flesh


     is hard and austere, and it is not eaten until it has begun
     to decay.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     {Japan medlar} (Bot.), the loquat. See {Loquat}.
  
     {Neapolitan medlar} (Bot.), a kind of thorn tree ({Crataegus
        Azarolus}); also, its fruit.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  medlar
       n 1: small deciduous tree of southern Africa having edible fruit
            [syn: {wild medlar}, {wild medlar tree}, {Vangueria
            infausta}]
       2: small deciduous Eurasian tree cultivated for its fruit that
          resemble crab apples [syn: {medlar tree}, {Mespilus
          germanica}]
       3: South African globular fruit with brown leathery skin and
          sweet-acid pithy flesh
       4: crabapple-like fruit used for preserves