The Collaborative International Dictionary
Quince \Quince\ (kw[i^]ns), n. [Prob. a pl. from OE. quyne, coin, OF. coin, cooin, F. coing, from L. Cydonius a quince tree, as adj., Cydonian, Gr. ? Cydonian, ? ? a quince, fr. ? Cydonia, a city in Crete, ? the Cydonians. Cf. Quiddany.]
The fruit of a shrub ( Cydonia vulgaris) belonging to the same tribe as the apple. It somewhat resembles an apple, but differs in having many seeds in each carpel. It has hard flesh of high flavor, but very acid, and is largely used for marmalade, jelly, and preserves.
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(Bot.) a quince tree or shrub.
Japan quince (Bot.), an Eastern Asiatic shrub ( Cydonia Japonica, formerly Pyrus Japonica) and its very fragrant but inedible fruit. The shrub has very showy flowers, usually red, but sometimes pink or white, and is much grown for ornament.
Quince curculio (Zo["o]l.), a small gray and yellow curculio ( Conotrachelus crat[ae]gi) whose larva lives in quinces.
Quince tree (Bot.), the small tree ( Cydonia vulgaris) which produces the quince.
Usage examples of "quince tree".
To the side grew a plum tree and a quince tree, both heavy with fruit.
I can look out the window and see the big quince tree Matt and the guys climbed up to crash my birthday slumber party two years ago.
A quince tree, pinioned to the wall outside, was heavy with rosy cups where bees droned, and just beside her on the sill a pair of white doves strutted and crooned.
She hesitated and then nimbly climbed the quince tree up to her bedroom window.
A few red rays slanting into the glade, illumined a single twisted quince tree, where hung a strip of parchment Standing back hi the shadows Cugel studied the glade at length, then stepping forward took the parchment.
When Lysander caught up with them the cat had been chased up an ancient quince tree hanging over the wall and the dogs were yapping hysterically round the base with Rachel swiping at them with a broom and screaming: 'Go away, you bloody animals.
And in other stories they encounter a loom for weaving hair, a telephone built into a tree, a ghostly governess, a stolen quince tree, and the Furies.
Behind him he heard Doc trip over the exposed root of an elderly quince tree and measure his length on the lawn.