cherimoya

[ cher-uh-moi-uh ]

noun

1. a tropical American tree, Annona cherimola, having leaves with velvety, hairy undersides and yellow-to-brown fragrant flowers.
2. the large, edible fruit of this tree, having leathery, scalelike skin and soft pulp.

Word History and Origins

Origin of cherimoya¹

First recorded in 1730–40; from Latin American Spanish chirimoya, name of the fruit; of uncertain origin; alleged analysis as Quechua chiri “cold” + muyu “wheel, circle” is probably spurious

Example Sentences

The farm also grows ice cream beans, persimmons, pomegranates, passion fruit, dragon fruit, cherimoyas and caviar limes in soil that has become more fertile from the biodiversity of crops.

From Los Angeles Times

“He grew passion fruit and pineapple guava and cherimoya, and he was always looking for seeds people brought in from Mexico, especially chiles,” Ramirez said of his father.

From Los Angeles Times

Native to the Andes Mountain range, the cherimoya is a green, scaly fruit with flavor notes similar to banana, pineapple, mango, peach and strawberry.

From Salon

But there’s one I keep returning to: the soursop, a member of the Annonaceae family and relative of the cherimoya and pawpaw.

From New York Times

In 1952, Helen Evans Brown published her "West Coast Cook Book," which pushed regional readers to use local, fresh ingredients, many of which grew in Californians' backyards, like avocados, cherimoyas, figs and loquats.

From Salon