litchi

or lee·chee, li·chee, ly·chee

[ lee-chee ]
/ ˈli tʃi /

noun, plural li·tchis.

the fruit of a Chinese tree, Litchi chinensis, of the soapberry family, consisting of a thin, brittle shell enclosing a sweet, jellylike pulp and a single seed.
the tree itself.

Origin of litchi

1580–90; < New Latin < Chinese lìzhi ( lì ‘scallion’ + zhī ‘branch’)

Words nearby litchi

lit., lit.b., lit.d., litany, litas, litchi, litchi nut, lite, liter, literacy, literacy hour

Example sentences from the Web for litchi

  • About him were golden limes, ginger in syrup, litchi nuts, pickled leeches.

    Tutt and Mr. Tutt |Arthur Train

  • By some of the earlier botanical works the litchi is placed either in the genus Dimocarpus or Euphoria.

    The Nut Culturist |Andrew S. Fuller

  • Or in ivory chopsticks, oolong tea, imitation jade, litchi nuts and preserved leeches!

    Tutt and Mr. Tutt |Arthur Train

British Dictionary definitions for litchi

litchi

lichee, lichi or lychee

/ (ˌlaɪˈtʃiː) /

noun

a Chinese sapindaceous tree, Litchi chinensis, cultivated for its round edible fruits
the fruit of this tree, which has a whitish juicy edible aril

Word Origin for litchi

C16: from Cantonese lai chi