thompson seedless: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Specialist, Commercial, Culinary
Quick answer
What does “thompson seedless” mean?
A specific, widely cultivated variety of green seedless grape.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A specific, widely cultivated variety of green seedless grape.
The dominant commercial grape variety used for producing raisins, grape juice, and as a common table grape; often used as a generic term for pale green seedless grapes in markets.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. The term is used identically in both varieties, primarily in commercial/culinary contexts.
Connotations
Neutral; denotes a common, reliable product. In the US, strongly associated with California's raisin industry.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in American English due to the prominence of California grape production.
Grammar
How to Use “thompson seedless” in a Sentence
[grow/harvest/sell] Thompson SeedlessThompson Seedless [grapes/raisins/vines]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “thompson seedless” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The vineyard plans to Thompson Seedless this entire plot next season. (Very rare/innovative)
American English
- They decided to Thompson Seedless the old vineyard to meet market demand. (Very rare/innovative)
adverb
British English
- [Not used as an adverb]
American English
- [Not used as an adverb]
adjective
British English
- We need more Thompson Seedless vine cuttings.
American English
- The Thompson Seedless grape harvest was early this year.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Common in agricultural trade, wholesale produce, and food manufacturing contracts.
Academic
Used in botany, horticulture, and agricultural science papers.
Everyday
Used when shopping for fruit or discussing recipes.
Technical
Specifies the cultivar in viticulture and pomology; distinct from 'Sultana' in some regulatory contexts.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “thompson seedless”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “thompson seedless”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “thompson seedless”
- Incorrect: 'thompson seedless' (not capitalised).
- Incorrect: 'Thompson Seedless raisins' is tautological for many speakers, as most raisins *are* from this grape, but it is still commonly used.
- Incorrect: Using it as a countable noun for a single grape ('a Thompson Seedless') is less common; prefer 'a Thompson Seedless grape'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In botanical terms, yes, they are the same cultivar. In commercial usage, especially in the US, 'Thompson Seedless' refers to the fresh grape or raisin, while 'Sultana' is often used for a type of raisin or in other regions.
It is named after William Thompson, a Scottish immigrant who propagated this seedless variety in California in the 1870s.
They are rarely used for quality wine due to their neutral flavour, but they are a major grape for mass-produced brandy, neutral 'white' wine for blending, and grape juice concentrate.
Yes, as it is a proper noun referring to a specific cultivar, it should be capitalised: Thompson Seedless.
A specific, widely cultivated variety of green seedless grape.
Thompson seedless is usually specialist, commercial, culinary in register.
Thompson seedless: in British English it is pronounced /ˈtɒmpsən ˈsiːdləs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈtɑːmpsən ˈsiːdləs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms for this proper noun]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'Tom's son' (Thompson) who only plants grapes without seeds (seedless).
Conceptual Metaphor
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCT AS A BRAND: The cultivar name functions like a brand for a reliable, standardized natural product.
Practice
Quiz
What is a key characteristic of Thompson Seedless grapes?