Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. A deciduous shrub or small tree (Punica granatum) native to Asia and widely cultivated for its edible fruit.
- n. The fruit of this tree, having a tough reddish rind, and containing many seeds, each enclosed in a juicy, mildly acidic, red pulp.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. The fruit of the tree Punica Granatum. It is of the size of an orange, has six rounded angles, and bears at the summit the remains of the calyx-lobes. It has a hard rind filled with numerous seeds, each inclosed in a layer of pulp of reddish color and pleasant subacid taste (the edible part of the fruit). It affords a cooling drink, and in Persia a wine is derived from it, as in Mexico an ardent spirit. The rind contains a large amount of tannin, and has been employed in tanning and as an astringent medicine. The pomegranate is outwardly of a beautiful orange color shaded with red.
- n. The tree, Punica Granatum, which produces the fruit pomegranate. A native of western Asia to northwestern India, it is now widely cultivated and naturalized in subtropical regions. It is a deciduous tree, 15 or 20 feet high, with numerous slender branches, some of them armed with thorns, the leaves lance-shaped or oblong. It is a fine ornamental plant, the flowers scarlet, large, and sometimes doubled. The latter are used in medicine like the fruit-rind, under the name of balustines, and they also afford a red dye. The bark supplies the color of yellow morocco leather, and that of the root is an efficient tæniacide, this property residing in an alkaloid, pelletierine, contained in it. It also yields punicotannic acid and mannit. The pomegranate has been known as a fruit-tree from the earliest times; it was common in Italy in the third century b. c., was familiar to the Hebrews, and its fruit was copied on Egyptian and Assyrian monuments, and later on the pillars of Solomon's temple. It thrives in the southern United States, and can be grown with moderate protection even in the climate of New York.
- n. In Queensland, a small tree, Capparis nobilis, with some resemblance to the pomegranate.
Wiktionary
- n. Any of several shrubs or small trees, of the genus Punica, bearing the fruit of the same name.
- n. The fruit of these plants, about the size of an orange and having a red pulp containing many seeds and enclosed in a thick, hard, reddish skin.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. (Bot.) The fruit of the tree Punica Granatum; also, the tree itself (see balaustine), which is native in the Orient, but is successfully cultivated in many warm countries, and as a house plant in colder climates. The fruit is as large as an orange, and has a hard rind containing many rather large seeds, each one separately covered with crimson, acid pulp.
- n. A carved or embroidered ornament resembling a pomegranate.
WordNet 3.0
- n. shrub or small tree native to southwestern Asia having large red many-seeded fruit
- n. large globular fruit having many seeds with juicy red pulp in a tough brownish-red rind
Etymologies
- From Medieval Latin pomum granatum via Old French pome grenate. (Wiktionary)
- Middle English pome granate, from Old French pome grenate : pome, apple; see pome + grenate, having many seeds (from Latin grānātus, from grānum, grain, seed; see gr̥ə-no- in Indo-European roots). (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)
Examples
“Auberville, in his magnificent work "L'Ornement des Tissus," is astonished to find the term pomegranate-pattern almost confined to these forms, since their central part is generally formed of a thistle-form.”
“And in case you want to wow your friends with your vast knowledge of useless information …. the word pomegranate comes from the latin word “pomum” (meaning apple) and “granatus” (meaning seeded).”
“The pomegranate is made with a white chocolate base flavored - and tinted - with real pomegranate juice.”
“A small state that looks like the inside of a pomegranate is not doable.”
“Now-trendy-to-eat pomegranate is the other, joining honey lemon, cherry and honey ($2.79 per 3. 5-ounce bag).”
“As to the pomegranate seeds, they are not strictly necessary, but they are so nice, and one pomegranate is more than enough for everything.”
“A pomegranate is not a species of granular crystalline rock consisting essentially of quartz, orthoclase-feldspar, and mica, as I spelled it.”
“This was how I learned that the word pomegranate does not rhyme with speculate.”
“250 The pomegranate is probably chosen here because each fruit is supposed to contain one seed from Eden-garden.”
“Once the pomegranates were piled on my counter, I couldn’t stop thinking about Tom and Joanna’s chicken in pomegranate sauce.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘pomegranate’.
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Reds
crimson, blood, scarlet, rott, rojo, brick, fire engine, vermilion, carmine, burgundy, amaranth, alizarin and 115 more...
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CULI - wine-tasting adjectives
In this area of expertise nouns are frequently used as adjectives (almond, bacon, cider, diesel, fennel, fresh-cut hay, wool) or new adjectives are formed (appley, berrylike, citrusy, full-bodied, ...
acetic, acidic, aged, angular, appley, astringent, attractive, austere, berrylike, big, bitter, brawny and 511 more...
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RELI - words with Biblical connotations
Words in the Bible evoking biblical stories or with special spiritual meaning. Proper names have been reduced to the minimum.
ark, judgement, holy, saint, baptism, spirit, love, eternal, altar, balsam, covenant, flood and 1115 more...
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food collection
bread, peel, pot, chorizo, Filet, olive, fill, Phyllo, dough, bake, mat, pinot and 988 more...
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Flora
Flowers and plants have some of the most beautiful names.
These are often the common names, as opposed to the scientific or botanical names.daffodil, gardenia, tulip, snapdragon, violet, orchid, bleeding heart, daisy, lily, lilac, narcissus, rose and 278 more...
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Words beginning with P
peripatetic, pearlescent, perfunctory, palliate, permafrost, prosthetic, pliant, pluvious, percussion, procrastinate, progeria, prognathism and 49 more...
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Ditrochaic Words with the Accent on t...
This is my favorite meter for single words. You could call it BUH-duh-buh-duh.
I collect them and cherish them; please add some. Phrases are also accepted if they've, you know, got it.helicopter, stratocaster, watermelon, telecaster, percolator, studebaker, flabbergasted, dramaturgy, carburator, copenhagen, pomegranate, metallurgy and 13 more...
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Apple Words
Apple used to be a generic term for fruit so it shows up a lot.
apple, crabapple, pineapple, pomegranate, pomme de terre, cranapple, applejack, appletini, wood-apple, mayapple, appley, chamomile
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Spices: How Exotic!
That extra something that makes the dish pop.
white pepper, wasabi, vanilla, turmeric, tonka bean, tamarind, sumac, star anise, St. John's bread, Sichuan pepper, sesame seed, sassafras and 70 more...
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♥
ambrosia, inamorata, gossamer, lily-white, hummingbird, roucoulement, poppy, daisy, calypso, lunula, lamb, dove and 1526 more...
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Color Words for Shoes
Vendors can get oddly creative.
amaranth, brindle, iguana, slate black, madder brown, bison, pinecone, seal brown, forest night, burnt orange, monument, beet red and 399 more...
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food words
weetabix, blancmange, shandy, meringue, allspice, pavlova, quiche, caster sugar, suet, moonshine, turnip, swede and 93 more...
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Buttery
Words that make me feel cozy
Feather, Mug, Knit, Socks, Snug, Soft, Butter, Nugget, Noodle, Curl, Billow, Lounge and 315 more...
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Is it morning yet?
coterie, lexeme, counterbalance, forthright, pigtail, ponytail, french-braid, barrette, listless, counsel, sitting duck, dead duck and 268 more...
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Flutter
tuberose, golden apple, apple cider, unicorn, extraordinary, Pleiades, Merope, speckle, glitter, rose, pitter-pat, whale and 314 more...
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color me mauve
color words
albescent, ecru, eggshell, mauve, taupe, ochre, ashen, goldenrod, gamboge, cream, saffron, mustard and 109 more...
Tweets
Looking for tweets for pomegranate.

dimã©lion "seeded apple". Nov 15, 2008
roseandivy Pomegranates are very sensual. The word and the fruit. Feb 28, 2008
treeseed a fruit sacred in Wicca because it symbolizes the Goddess. When it is sliced in half at its equator it reveals a five point star. The same is true of an apple but the star is much, much smaller. Feb 23, 2008
yarb I believe Azerbaijan is a significant producer of pomegranates. Dec 1, 2007
sionnach I agree, c_b. Also a fruit that kicks butt, the reason you have wheaties for breakfast, and the antidote to hostile kites! Dec 1, 2007
chained_bear Only one of the greatest words ever. That's all. Dec 1, 2007