apple
A1Neutral
Definition
Meaning
A round fruit with firm, juicy flesh and typically red, yellow, or green skin, growing on trees of the genus Malus.
A technology company (Apple Inc.); something considered to be a model of excellence or a prime example; a tree that bears this fruit.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily refers to a common fruit. The company name uses the same word but is capitalised. The concept of an 'apple' is culturally significant in many contexts (e.g., 'apple of one's eye', the biblical 'forbidden fruit').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal for the fruit. British English might use 'cooking apple' and 'eating apple' more commonly; American English may specify 'pie apple' or 'baking apple'. The dessert 'apple crumble' is common in the UK, while 'apple crisp' is common in the US.
Connotations
Universally positive for the fruit (health, simplicity). In US business contexts, 'Apple' is strongly associated with technology and innovation.
Frequency
Extremely high frequency in both dialects as a basic vocabulary item.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
eat an applepick apples from the treeslice the apple into piecesbake an applean apple a dayVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “the apple of one's eye”
- “a bad/rotten apple”
- “compare apples and oranges”
- “apple of discord”
- “upset the apple cart”
- “as American as apple pie”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to Apple Inc., its products, or its stock. E.g., 'Apple announced record quarterly earnings.'
Academic
In botany/horticulture, discusses cultivation, genetics, or taxonomy of Malus domestica.
Everyday
Discusses food, health, shopping, or gardening. E.g., 'I need to buy some apples for the children's lunch.'
Technical
In computing, refers to Apple hardware/software; in cooking, to specific varieties for specific uses.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
American English
- 'I'm going to apple this phone' (slang for installing a custom Apple-like iOS). Rare, non-standard.
adjective
British English
- He bought an apple computer.
- She loves the apple crumble.
American English
- That's a very apple thing to do. (colloquial, meaning stylish/innovative)
- The apple pie was delicious.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I eat an apple every morning.
- The apple is red and green.
- She has three apples in her bag.
- Could you slice this apple for the salad?
- We visited an apple orchard during the autumn.
- Apple juice is my favourite drink.
- The new policy was the apple of discord that split the committee.
- Comparing their management styles is like comparing apples and oranges.
- He's the apple of his grandfather's eye.
- The company's strategy bore the hallmark of classic Apple innovation.
- One corrupt official can be a rotten apple that spoils the whole barrel.
- The poet used the decaying apple as a metaphor for lost innocence.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Remember the phrase: 'An APPLE A day keeps the doctor Away' – both start with 'A'.
Conceptual Metaphor
KNOWLEDGE/TRANSGRESSION (the Forbidden Fruit); HEALTH/WELLBEING ('an apple a day'); DECAY/CORRUPTION ('one bad apple'); SIMPLICITY/HOMESTEAD ('apple pie life').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- 'Apple' in IT contexts is not translated as 'яблоко' but transliterated as 'Эпл' (Apple Inc.) in Russian media.
- The idiom 'apple of one's eye' translates to 'зеница ока', not a literal translation involving 'яблоко'.
- The city nickname 'The Big Apple' (NYC) is not directly translated; Russians use 'Большое Яблоко' or just 'Нью-Йорк'.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect plural spelling: 'apples' NOT 'appls'.
- Using uncountable form for individual fruits: 'I ate apple' should be 'I ate an apple'.
- Confusing 'apple' with 'pineapple', which is a different fruit.
Practice
Quiz
What does the idiom 'the apple of discord' mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is primarily countable when referring to individual fruits (an apple, two apples). It can be uncountable when referring to the substance (e.g., 'This pie contains apple').
Crabapples are small, wild, often sour apples from specific species (e.g., Malus sylvestris). Domestic eating apples (Malus domestica) are larger and sweeter, bred for consumption.
The term became popular in the 1920s-70s. It originally came from 1920s jazz slang, where 'apple' referred to any city or venue. 'The Big Apple' was the premier destination—New York City.
Standard English does not have a verb 'to apple'. Any such use (e.g., in tech slang) is highly informal, non-standard, and not found in dictionaries.
Collections
Part of a collection
Food and Drink
A1 · 49 words · Common words for food, drink and meals.