Dictionary:

quince

  (kwĭns)

1. A western Asian shrub or tree (Cydonia oblonga) having white flowers and hard applelike fruit.
2. The aromatic, many-seeded fruit of this plant, edible only when cooked.

[Middle English quynce, pl. of quyn, quince, from Old French cooin, from Latin cotōneum (mālum), quince (fruit), probably variant of cydōnium, from Greek dialectal kudōnion (mālon), alteration (influenced by Kudōniā, Cydonia, an ancient city of northwest Crete) of kodumālon.]

The deciduous tree Cydonia oblonga, originally from Asia, grown for its edible fruit. The fruit is a pear-shaped or apple-shaped pome, characteristically tomentose, aromatic, sour, astringent, and green, turning clear yellow at maturity. Used mostly for jam and jelly or as a stewed fruit, the fruit of the quince develops a pink color in cooking. See also Deciduous plants; Fruit; Fruit, tree; Rosales.

Pear-shaped fruit of Cydonia oblongata, with flesh similar to that of the apple; sour but strong aromatic flavour when cooked; rich in pectin and used chiefly in jams and jellies; formerly known as ‘the apple and the vine’. Japanese quince is the fruit of the ornamental shrub Chaenomelis lagenaria, hard, sour and aromatic, used in preserves and jellies.

[KWIHNC] Ancient Romans used the flowers and fruit of the quince tree for everything from perfume to honey. It was also considered a symbol of love and given to one's intended as a sign of commitment. Though the quince has been around for over 4,000 years throughout Asia and the Mediterranean countries, it's not particularly popular with Americans. This yellow-skinned fruit looks and tastes like a cross between an apple and a pear. The hard, yellowish-white flesh is quite dry and has an astringent, tart flavor, which makes it better cooked than raw. Because of its high pectin content, it's particularly popular for use in jams, jellies and preserves. Quinces are available in supermarkets from October through December. Select those that are large, firm and yellow with little or no sign of green. Wrap in a plastic bag and refrigerate for up to 2 months. Peel before using in jams, preserves, desserts and savory dishes.

(click to enlarge)
Quince (Cydonia oblonga). (credit: Walter Chandoha)

Any of the fruit shrubs and small trees that make up the genus Cydonia, in the rose family. Common quince (C. oblonga) is native to Iran, Turkey, and perhaps Greece and the Crimea. The raw golden-yellow fruit has a strong fragrant aroma and astringent taste; it takes on a pink colour when cooked and makes an excellent preserve. The Japanese quince (Chaenomeles species) is an ornamental shrub widely used for its flowers, which appear on the tightly branched stems before the leaves open fully in late winter and early spring.

For more information on quince, visit Britannica.com.

Dansk (Danish)
n. - kvæde

Nederlands (Dutch)
kweeboom/-peer

Français (French)
n. - coing, cognassier

Deutsch (German)
n. - Quitte, Quittenbaum

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (φυτολ.) κυδώνι

Italiano (Italian)
cotogna, cotogno

Português (Portuguese)
n. - marmelo (m), marmeleiro (m)

Русский (Russian)
айва

Español (Spanish)
n. - membrillo

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - kvittenfrukt, kvittenträd

中文（简体） (Chinese (Simplified))
一种蔷薇科植物, 一种果实

中文（繁體） (Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 一種薔薇科植物, 一種果實

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 마르멜로(의 열매)

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - マルメロ

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) سفرجل, شجرة السفرجل‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮חבוש (פרי)‬

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