loquat

noun

lo·​quat ˈlō-ˌkwät How to pronounce loquat (audio)
: an Asian evergreen tree (Eriobotrya japonica) of the rose family often cultivated for its fruit
also : its small yellow edible fruit used especially for preserves

Illustration of loquat

Illustration of loquat

Examples of loquat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Harvest loquat fruits to eat out of hand or to make chutney and other relishes. Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2024 The rose family contains not only roses but also many edible plants grown in temperate climate gardens, including apples, pears, plums, cherries, peaches, almonds, loquats, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, and more. Elizabeth Waddington, Treehugger, 28 Aug. 2023 The grounds were verdant: loquat trees with ripe yellow fruits, tall arid pines, low palms, cypress. Jamie Quatro, Travel + Leisure, 24 June 2023 The street, whose parkways are dotted with loquat trees, is a few blocks from York Boulevard, one of Highland Park’s main drags. Daniel Miller, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2023 Jamal supplemented the surviving orange and lemon trees with replacements and new types of citrus, including an Algerian tangerine, different orange trees, a pomelo, grapefruit and loquat. Nicole Sours Larson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Apr. 2023 There’ll be a Q&A too, where Watts will discuss her local inspiration, such as how native plants sustain biodiversity, and a raffle for 10 ready-to-plant baby loquat trees. Matt Pawlik, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2022 What are the chances my loquat can be saved? Neil Sperry, San Antonio Express-News, 2 Apr. 2021 The loquat is an immigrant originally from China but spread to many other communities that embraced the fruit as their own. Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'loquat.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Chinese (Guangdong) làuh-gwāt

First Known Use

1820, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of loquat was in 1820

Dictionary Entries Near loquat

Cite this Entry

“Loquat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/loquat. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

loquat

noun
lo·​quat ˈlō-ˌkwät How to pronounce loquat (audio)
: a small Asian tree related to the roses and bearing yellow fruits resembling plums
also : its fruit used especially in preserves
Etymology

Chinese làuhgwāt "small tree related to the roses"

More from Merriam-Webster on loquat

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