1A small bushy tree of the rose family.
Mespilus germanica, family Rosaceae
- ‘The largest is a cherry tree, which is pruned to keep it in check, and there are vines, peaches, medlar and mulberry bushes to provide fruit.’
- 1.1The small brown apple-like fruit of the medlar, which is only edible after it has begun to decay.‘Fruits include the indigenous melons, grapes, mulberries, peaches, apricots, nectarines, and pomegranates, as well as medlars, persimmons, oranges, melons, and sweet lemons.’
- ‘In the back are pots containing a fruit paradise of quinces, medlars, lemons, pomegranates, citrons, even a limequat that apparently makes a mean marmalade.’
- ‘There are plenty of colourful fruits about, including dessert, culinary and crab apples, pears and medlars.’
- ‘Apples and pears and medlars hang heavy upon the boughs.’
- ‘There were medlars, and apples, and quinces, and cherries, and I think many more that I could not name by their bark or tiny fruit.’
Late Middle English from Old French medler, from medle ‘medlar fruit’, from Latin mespila, from Greek mespilē, mespilon.
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