grape: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Neutral
Quick answer
What does “grape” mean?
A small, round, juicy fruit, typically green or purple, that grows in clusters on a vine and is often used for making wine.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A small, round, juicy fruit, typically green or purple, that grows in clusters on a vine and is often used for making wine.
The fruit itself; also used metaphorically to refer to something desirable but unattainable (from 'sour grapes'), or to denote a color resembling that of the fruit.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Both varieties use the word identically.
Connotations
Identical connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally common in both British and American English.
Grammar
How to Use “grape” in a Sentence
N of grapesADJ grapeV grapesVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “grape” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The vineyard will grape later this season due to the weather.
American English
- The region grapes several varietals for local wineries.
adjective
British English
- She wore a lovely grape-coloured dress to the party.
American English
- The walls were painted a deep grape purple.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in the wine and agricultural industries (e.g., 'grape production', 'grape futures').
Academic
Used in botany, agriculture, and culinary studies.
Everyday
Common in discussions of food, cooking, and health.
Technical
Specific in viticulture (grape cultivation) and oenology (wine science).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “grape”
Neutral
Weak
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “grape”
- Using uncountable form incorrectly (e.g., 'I like grape' instead of 'I like grapes').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is primarily a countable noun (e.g., 'a grape', 'ten grapes'). It can be used uncountably in some contexts, like 'a pound of grape', but this is less common than using the plural.
'Grape' refers to a single fruit. 'Grapes' is the plural form, referring to multiple fruits, and is the far more common form used in everyday language.
Yes, but it is rare and technical, used almost exclusively in viticulture to mean 'to bear grapes' or 'to harvest grapes'.
It means to hear news or information informally and unofficially, through rumours or gossip from other people.
A small, round, juicy fruit, typically green or purple, that grows in clusters on a vine and is often used for making wine.
Grape is usually neutral in register.
Grape: in British English it is pronounced /ɡreɪp/, and in American English it is pronounced /ɡreɪp/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “sour grapes”
- “the grapevine”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the shape of the letter 'g' as a hook to pick a grape from a bunch.
Conceptual Metaphor
DESIRE IS A GRAPE (from 'sour grapes' – pretending something unwanted is actually undesirable).
Practice
Quiz
What does the idiom 'sour grapes' express?