Pruine
/ˈpruː.ɪn/noun
A powdery or frosty coating on the surface of fruits, leaves, or insects.
Did you know?Pruine comes through French from Latin *pruina*, meaning frost or hoarfrost, the same ancient word behind the idea of winter’s white, ghostly crust.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*preus-
“to freeze, to burn with cold”
Latin
Latin
pruina
“frost, hoarfrost; also the cold of winter”
Old French
Old French
pruine
“frost, hoarfrost; a powdery bloom on fruit”
Middle English
English
pruine
“a frosty or powdery coating”
Modern English
English
pruine
“a powdery coating on fruits, leaves, or insects”