durian

or du·ri·on

[ door-ee-uhn, -ahn ]

noun

1. the edible fruit of a tree, Durio zibethinus, of the bombax family, of southeastern Asia, having a hard, prickly rind, a highly flavored, pulpy flesh, and an unpleasant odor.
2. the tree itself.

durian

/ ˈdjʊərɪən /

noun

1. a SE Asian bombacaceous tree, Durio zibethinus, having very large oval fruits with a hard spiny rind containing seeds surrounded by edible evil-smelling aril
2. the fruit of this tree, which has an offensive smell but a pleasant taste: supposedly an aphrodisiac

Word History and Origins

Origin of durian¹

1580–90; < Malay: a fruit with spiky skin, equivalent to duri thorn + -an nominalizer suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of durian¹

C16: from Malay, from duri thorn

Example Sentences

And then Vietnamese farmers pivoted to a smelly, yellow fruit - the durian.

From BBC

“There’s fruits, jackfruit and durian, these look like ‘Avatar’ fruits,’” Mulaney joked.

From Los Angeles Times

There's little else in the food world that brings about as much social turbulence as the durian.

From Salon

Fuller has been writing about durian for more than two decades.

From New York Times

China’s demand for durian has razed landscapes and made fortunes in Southeast Asia.

From New York Times