an indehiscent fruit consisting of outer epicarp, fleshy or fibrous mesocarp, and stony endocarp enclosing a single seed, as in the peach, plum, and cherry
Derived forms
drupaceous (druːˈpeɪʃəs)
adjective
Word origin
C18: from Latin druppa wrinkled overripe olive, from Greek: olive
drupe in American English
(drup)
noun
any fruit with a soft, fleshy part (mesocarp) covered by a skinlike outer layer (exocarp, or epicarp) and surrounding an inner stone (endocarp) that contains the seed, as an apricot, cherry, plum, etc.
Derived forms
drupaceous (druˈpaceous) (druˈpeɪʃəs)
adjective
Word origin
ModL drupa < L drupa (oliva), overripe (olive) < Gr druppa (elaa) olive, orig., (olive) ripened on tree, contr. < drupepēs