apple

1nounthe fruit

An apple is a round fruit that grows on trees. It has a smooth skin that can be red, green, or yellow, and a crisp, juicy inside. You eat it fresh, cook it in pies, or press it into juice. It is one of the most common fruits in the world.

everyday language, food · Modern, widely used

She packed an apple in her bag for a snack at work.

He peeled the apple before slicing it for the children.

This apple pie smells amazing — did you make it yourself?

2nounthe tree

An apple can also refer to the tree that produces the fruit — the apple tree. You will often see this in gardening or farming contexts. People say 'apple' as a short way of saying 'apple tree'.

gardening, farming · Modern, widely used

They planted an apple in the corner of the garden.

The apples in the orchard were heavy with fruit this autumn.

When someone says a person is 'the apple of their eye', they mean that person is very precious and loved. This is a fixed expression — you would not use 'apple' alone in this figurative way, but the phrase is very common in English.

everyday language, relationships · Modern, widely used — the phrase has old roots but is still common today · figurative

Her youngest daughter is the apple of her eye.

That little boy is the apple of his grandfather's eye.

You could tell from the way he spoke about her that she was the apple of his eye.