medlar

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English

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ripe medlar fruit

Etymology

From Middle English medler, medeler, from Old French medler, meslier, from medle, mesdle (“medlar fruit”), from Latin mespilum, from Ancient Greek μέσπιλον (méspilon). Related to the rare mesple, via Proto-West Germanic *mespilā.

Pronunciation

Noun

medlar (plural medlars)

  1. Mespilus germanica, common medlar (now often Crataegus germanica).
  2. Any tree of the genus Mespilus, now Crataegus sect. Mespilus, including many species now in other genera.
  3. Any of several similar trees that bear similar fruit:
    1. Stern's medlar (Crataegus × canescens: family Rosaceae).
    2. Mediterranean medlar or azarole (Crataegus azarolus: family Rosaceae).
    3. Japanese medlar or loquat (Eriobotrya japonica: family Rosaceae).
    4. Spanish medlar or bulletwood (Mimusops elengi: family Sapotaceae).
    5. African medlar (Vangueria infausta: family Rubiaceae).
    6. Wolfberry, goji, red medlar (Lycium spp.).
  4. The fruit of such trees, similar to small apples:
    1. Especially that of Crataegus sect. Mespilus, not eaten until it has begun to decay, or more specifically, to blet.
      Synonym: open-arse
  5. (derogatory, intended sexually) A woman or a woman's genitalia (as the fruit's appearance resembles an "open-arse").
    • c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
      I was once before him for getting a wench with child....but I was fain to forswear it; they would else have married me to the rotten medlar.

Derived terms

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References

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Middle English

Noun

medlar

  1. Alternative form of medler

Swedish

Verb

medlar

  1. present indicative of medla

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