litchi
or lee·chee, li·chee, ly·chee
[ lee-chee ]
noun,plural li·tchis.
the fruit of a Chinese tree, Litchi chinensis, of the soapberry family, consisting of a thin, brittle shell enclosing a sweet, jellylike pulp and a single seed.
the tree itself.
Origin of litchi
1First recorded in 1580–90; from New Latin, from Chinese lìzhi (lì “scallion” + zhī “branch”)
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for litchi
litchi
lichee, lichi or lychee
/ (ˌlaɪˈtʃiː) /
noun
a Chinese sapindaceous tree, Litchi chinensis, cultivated for its round edible fruits
the fruit of this tree, which has a whitish juicy edible aril
Origin of litchi
1C16: from Cantonese lai chi
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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