grape

[ greyp ]

noun

1. the edible, pulpy, smooth-skinned berry or fruit that grows in clusters on vines of the genus Vitis, and from which wine is made.
2. any vine bearing this fruit.
3. a dull, dark, purplish-red color.
4. grapes, (used with a singular verb) Veterinary Pathology.
   1. tuberculosis occurring in cattle, characterized by the internal formation of grapelike clusters, especially in the lungs.
   2. tuberculosis occurring in horses, characterized by grapelike clusters on the fetlocks.
5. grapeshot.
6. the grape, wine.

grape

/ ɡreɪp /

noun

1. the fruit of the grapevine, which has a purple or green skin and sweet flesh: eaten raw, dried to make raisins, currants, or sultanas, or used for making wine
2. any of various plants that bear grapelike fruit, such as the Oregon grape
3. See grapevine
4. the grape
   an informal term for wine
5. See grapeshot

Derived Forms

• ˈgrapeˌlike, adjective
• ˈgrapeless, adjective

Other Words From

• grapelike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of grape¹

1200–50; Middle English < Old French, variant of crape cluster of fruit or flowers, originally hook (for pruning vines) < Germanic; compare German Krapf hook and grapple ( def ), grapnel

Word History and Origins

Origin of grape¹

C13: from Old French grape bunch of grapes, of Germanic origin; compare Old High German krāpfo; related to cramp ², grapple

Idioms and Phrases

see sour grapes .

Example Sentences

If you haven’t tried a wine made from bobal, an obscure grape variety indigenous to Spain, here’s your chance.

From Washington Post

Nothing else tastes quite like it, and the fact Prevost actually makes this wine from red grapes suggests some delicious unknowable alchemy.

From Eater

Casa Marrone Appassimento is made with organic grapes, dried in the sun to concentrate the flavors and the sugars before pressing.

From Washington Post

The market trend in recent years toward natural wines favors less manipulation of the grapes in the vineyard and the juice in the cellar.

From Washington Post

For example, New World wine labels list the type of grape pressed into the bottle, while Old World labels tend to state the region where the grape was grown instead.

From Fortune

For a long while Zinfandel was the mystery grape, apparently sui generis except that nobody knew where it came from.

From The Daily Beast

Many of the grape growers and wine makers are on site to answer questions.

From The Daily Beast

On it are balanced a plate of eggs and toast, an open quart jar of grape jelly, and a beer mug full to the brim with orange juice.

From The Daily Beast

The most famous white wine grape on the island is the Assyrtiko.

From The Daily Beast

Our Kiddush prayers were done with gefilte fish and grape juice instead of wine.

From The Daily Beast

The nine barricaded the outer gates and placed in the best positions guns loaded with grape.

From Project Gutenberg

I prayed for her before the temple, and unto the very end I will seek after her, and she flourished as a grape soon ripe.

From Project Gutenberg

But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that shall eat the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.

From Project Gutenberg

In those days they shall say no more: The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the teeth of the children are set on edge.

From Project Gutenberg

Grape-shot and bullets sang the death-song of many a brave fellow, but Nicholson was untouched.

From Project Gutenberg