breadfruit

American  

[bred-froot] / ˈbrɛdˌfrut /

noun

1. a large, round, starchy fruit borne by a tree, Artocarpus altilis, of the mulberry family, native to the Pacific islands, used, baked or roasted, for food.

2. the tree bearing this fruit.

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breadfruit British  

/ ˈbrɛdˌfruːt /

noun

1. a moraceous tree, Artocarpus communis (or A. altilis ), of the Pacific Islands, having large round edible starchy usually seedless, fruit

2. the fruit of this tree, which is eaten baked or roasted and has a texture like bread

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Etymology

Origin of breadfruit

First recorded in 1690–1700; bread + fruit

Example Sentences

In “The Caribbean Cookbook,” the starch is either rice or “ground provisions,” the Anglophone term for yams, sweet potatoes, plantains, breadfruit and other staples.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

Nearshore fishing was good, but there were no breadfruit trees, no church, no school, and only one plywood structure to shield older islanders from the elements.

From Slate • Jul. 22, 2025

The Asante exiles in Seychelles lived in "Ashanti Town", on an old sugar plantation, Le Rocher, on the main island Mahé, overlooking the ocean and surrounded by coconut, mango, breadfruit, orange and jackfruit trees.

From BBC • Nov. 26, 2024

In 1778, British explorer Capt. James Cook was welcomed when he anchored off the Hawaiian islands by locals eager to trade cuttlefish, breadfruit and pigs for nails and iron tools.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 19, 2023

And everything that grows: frangipani, jacaranda, mangwansi beans, sugarcane, breadfruit, bird of paradise.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver