pawpaw

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A sweet, yellowish-green fruit with soft flesh and large seeds, native to North America.

   Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a pawpaw' or 'pawpaws'.

   Patterns

   • a pawpaw
   • pawpaws
   • pawpaw tree

   We picked a ripe pawpaw from the tree and ate it with a spoon.

   Pawpaws have a custard-like texture and a tropical flavor.

   The farmer sells pawpaws at the local market in early autumn.

2. 2nouncountable

   The tree that produces this fruit, with large leaves and purple-brown flowers.

   Grammar: Countable: 'a pawpaw' or 'pawpaw trees'.

   Patterns

   • a pawpaw
   • pawpaw trees

   A pawpaw can grow up to 10 meters tall in rich soil.

   We planted a pawpaw in the backyard last spring.

   The pawpaw's fruit ripens in late summer.

3. 3nouncountableregional

   In some regions, the papaya fruit or tree.

   Grammar: Countable: 'a pawpaw' or 'pawpaws'.

   Patterns

   • a pawpaw
   • pawpaws

   In Jamaica, people often call a papaya a pawpaw.

   She bought a pawpaw from the market to make juice.

   The pawpaw here is what Americans call papaya.

Word forms

Common combinations

ripe pawpaw

The ripe pawpaw was soft and sweet.

pawpaw tree

The pawpaw tree produces fruit in autumn.

pawpaw fruit

The pawpaw fruit has many large seeds.

wild pawpaw

We found wild pawpaws growing near the river.

Synonyms and how they differ

papaya

Use 'papaya' for the tropical fruit with orange flesh; 'pawpaw' is the same fruit in some regions but also refers to a different North American fruit.

custard apple

A different fruit with creamy flesh; 'pawpaw' is not the same, though both are sweet and soft.

Word family

pawpaw noun

The fruit or tree itself.

Commonly confused: pawpaw or papaya?

Practice

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