prunus

noun

pru·​nus ˈprü-nəs 

: any of a genus (Prunus) of drupaceous trees or shrubs of the rose family that have showy clusters of usually white or pink flowers first appearing in the spring often before the leaves and including many grown for ornament or for their fruit (such as the plum, cherry, or apricot)

Examples of prunus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In the book, Lt. Gore finds a prunus spinosa bush (otherwise known as sloe), and picks its berries to make sloe gin, which was first popularized in the Victorian era. —Marisa Guthrie, WWD, 15 June 2024

Almonds are seeds harvested from the fruit of the almond tree, prunus dulcis, which is native to the Mediterranean. —USA TODAY, 4 July 2023

Six natural ingredients, including antioxidant components rose and prunus, help to hydrate, nourish, and relax skin. —Necee Regis, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Apr. 2023

There is even a talk on how to combat the invasive prunus. —Jeff Lowenfels | Alaska Gardening and Growing, Anchorage Daily News, 23 Feb. 2023

Gentry started on the oaks and hickories, Witsell on the prunus and viburnums, and Ogle wrote the technical descriptions and the family group sections. —Janet B. Carson, Arkansas Online, 15 May 2021

The choices include forsythia, various willows and Japanese flowering quince, as well as a range of prunus, specifically Japanese flowering apricot, flowering plum, flowering cherry and fruiting peach. —Washington Post, 3 Mar. 2021

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin, plum tree, from Greek proumnē

First Known Use

circa 1706, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

Prunus

noun

Pru·​nus ˈprü-nəs 

: a genus of trees and shrubs of the rose family (Rosaceae) that are widely distributed in temperate regions, have showy clusters of usually white or pink flowers, and include many whose fruit (as the plum, cherry, peach, or apricot) is used for food