Stonefruit
/ˈstoʊnˌfruːt/noun
A fruit with a large hard pit or stone, such as a peach, plum, or cherry.
Did you know?Unlike words with ancient roots, stonefruit is a straightforward English compound, but it became a powerful botanical term for fruits whose hard inner pit protects the seed like a tiny sealed vault.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
English
stān
“A hard mineral substance; a rock or stone.”
Old English
English
frӯt
“Fruit; the edible product of a plant.”
Middle English
English
ston fruyt
“A fruit characterized by a hard pit or stone.”
Modern English
English
stonefruit
“A fruit with a hard pit surrounding the seed.”