guava

noun

gua·​va ˈgwä-və How to pronounce guava (audio)
1
: any of several tropical American shrubs or small trees (genus Psidium) of the myrtle family
especially : a shrubby tree (P. guajava) widely cultivated for its yellow-skinned fruit with sweet acid yellow or pink flesh
2
: the roundish to pear-shaped fruit of a guava

Did you know?

This is any of many trees and shrubs of a genus that is native to the New World tropics. The two important species are common guava and cattley, or strawberry, guava. The sweet pulp of the common guava fruit has a musky, sometimes pungent odor. The pulp of the strawberry guava fruit has a strawberry-like flavor. Guavas are processed into jams, jellies, and preserves. Fresh guavas are rich in vitamins A, B, and C. They are eaten raw, sliced, and are often served in desserts.

Examples of guava in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web At a small booth near the main entrance to the market, Mark Welborn sold out of nearly all his sorrel, Meyer lemons, purple mizuna, celery, guava, sapote, chard, Cara Cara oranges and bundles of fresh herbs. Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2024 Fruits contain less protein generally, but a single banana still offers 1.5 grams of protein, and a cup of sliced guava, kiwi, or apricots contain between 2-4 grams of protein. Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 21 Jan. 2024 Take the guava cheesecake, which gathers almond crumble, dark chocolate pearls, goat cheese ice cream and guava in the form of gummies, foam and sheer tiles on top. Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 20 Feb. 2024 With evergreen fruit trees – citrus, avocado and guava – harvesting takes place over a period of several months. Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 27 Jan. 2024 The guava roll and the corn ricotta muffin are not to be missed. Claudia Alarcón, Forbes, 12 Feb. 2024 The lodge had two floors, made of wood and stone, and was tucked away in a thicket of guava trees. Jonathan Blitzer, The New Yorker, 28 Jan. 2024 The menu will highlight hearty brunch favorites like guava French Toast, fried chicken and biscuits with gravy, an Angus beef burger, and mac and cheese with mozzarella, black truffle, and more. Amanda Mesa, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024 Tropical fruits like guava, papaya and guanábana filled my abuelo’s patio. Paola Briseño-Gonzalez, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'guava.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Spanish guaba, guayaba, perhaps from Taino

First Known Use

1604, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of guava was in 1604

Dictionary Entries Near guava

Cite this Entry

“Guava.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/guava. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

guava

noun
gua·​va ˈgwäv-ə How to pronounce guava (audio)
: the sweet acid yellow-skinned fruit of a shrubby tropical American tree of the myrtle family that is used especially for making jelly and jam
also : a tree that produces guavas and is widely grown in cultivation

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