Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

drupe

noun

/druːp/

Definition

A drupe is a type of fruit that has a fleshy outer layer and a single hard pit or stone that contains the seed.

Examples

The peach is a well-known example of a drupe.
Other common drupes include cherries and olives.
When you bite into a plum, you experience the sweet, juicy flesh around the hard pit, typical of drupes.

Meaning

In botanical terms, a drupe is characterized by its structure, which typically consists of three layers: the exocarp (outer skin), the mesocarp (fleshy middle), and the endocarp (hard shell that surrounds the seed).