prune

2
[ proon ]
/ prun /

verb (used with object), pruned, prun·ing.

to cut or lop off (twigs, branches, or roots).
to cut or lop superfluous or undesired twigs, branches, or roots from; trim.
to rid or clear of (anything superfluous or undesirable).
to remove (anything considered superfluous or undesirable).

Origin of prune

2
1400–50; late Middle English prouynen < Middle French proognier to prune (vines), variant of provigner, derivative of provain scion (< Latin propāgin-, stem of propāgō; see propagate)

OTHER WORDS FROM prune

prun·a·ble, adjective prun·a·bil·i·ty, noun prun·er, noun un·prun·a·ble, adjective

Words nearby prune

prudentius, prudery, prudhoe bay, prudish, pruinose, prune, prune-belly syndrome, prunella, prunelle, pruning hook, pruning shears

Definition for prunable (2 of 2)

prune 3
[ proon ]
/ prun /

verb (used with object), pruned, prun·ing.

Archaic. to preen.

Origin of prune

3
1350–1400; Middle English prunen, pruynen, proy(g)nen < Old French poroign-, present stem of poroindre, equivalent to por- (< Latin pro- pro-1) + oindre to anoint (< Latin unguere); see preen1

OTHER WORDS FROM prune

prun·a·ble, adjective

British Dictionary definitions for prunable (1 of 3)

prune 1
/ (pruːn) /

noun

a purplish-black partially dried fruit of any of several varieties of plum tree
slang, mainly British a dull, uninteresting, or foolish person

Word Origin for prune

C14: from Old French prune, from Latin prūnum plum, from Greek prounon

British Dictionary definitions for prunable (2 of 3)

prune 2
/ (pruːn) /

verb

to remove (dead or superfluous twigs, branches, etc) from (a tree, shrub, etc), esp by cutting off
to remove (anything undesirable or superfluous) from (a book, etc)

Derived forms of prune

prunable, adjective pruner, noun

Word Origin for prune

C15: from Old French proignier to clip, probably from provigner to prune vines, from provain layer (of a plant), from Latin propāgo a cutting

British Dictionary definitions for prunable (3 of 3)

prune 3
/ (pruːn) /

verb

an archaic word for preen 1

Idioms and Phrases with prunable

prune

see full of beans, def. 2.