From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Medlar \Med"lar\, n. [OE. medler medlar tree, OF. meslier, F.
n['e]flier, L. mespilum, mespilus, Gr. ?, ?. Cf.
{Naseberry}.]
A tree of the genus {Mespilus} ({Mespilus Germanica}); also,
the fruit of the tree. The fruit is something like a small
apple, but has a bony endocarp. When first gathered the flesh
is hard and austere, and it is not eaten until it has begun
to decay.
[1913 Webster]
{Japan medlar} (Bot.), the loquat. See {Loquat}.
{Neapolitan medlar} (Bot.), a kind of thorn tree ({Crataegus
Azarolus}); also, its fruit.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
medlar
n 1: small deciduous tree of southern Africa having edible fruit
[syn: {wild medlar}, {wild medlar tree}, {medlar},
{Vangueria infausta}]
2: small deciduous Eurasian tree cultivated for its fruit that
resemble crab apples [syn: {medlar}, {medlar tree}, {Mespilus
germanica}]
3: a South African globular fruit with brown leathery skin and
pithy flesh having a sweet-acid taste
4: crabapple-like fruit used for preserves
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