pineapple
UK[ˈpaɪnæpl̩]US[ˈpaɪnˌæpəl]
n
A large tropical fruit with a tough, spiky, brownish-yellow skin, sweet yellow flesh, and a fibrous core.
n
The plant that bears this fruit, which has a short stem and a rosette of long, stiff, spiny leaves.
Morpheme Breakdown
pine
apple
pine
pine tree
apple
fruit
Etymology
The word "pineapple" is a classic example of a compound formed by semantic analogy. When European explorers first encountered the fruit in the Americas in the late 14th century, they found its appearance reminiscent of two familiar objects: the spiky exterior was likened to a pine cone, and its sweet, fleshy interior was compared to an apple. Thus, the compound "pineapple" was coined, literally meaning "a fruit resembling a pine cone and an apple." This naming logic reflects a common pattern where new entities are described in terms of pre-existing, familiar ones. Over time, the term became fixed, and its original descriptive components are still transparent in the modern spelling and meaning.
Analysis
Structure: pine (pine tree) + apple (fruit)
- pine: From Old English pīn (from Latin pīnus, meaning "pine tree"). In this compound, it functions as a modifier describing resemblance.
- apple: From Old English æppel, meaning "fruit; apple". In this compound, it functions as the head noun, indicating the object is a type of fruit.
Examples
She cut the fresh pineapple into juicy chunks for the fruit salad.
The pineapple plant takes nearly two years to produce its first fruit.
The drink was garnished with a small wedge of pineapple and a cherry.