quince Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun small Asian tree with pinkish flowers and pear-shaped fruit; widely cultivated
    quince bush; Cydonia oblonga.
  2. noun aromatic acid-tasting pear-shaped fruit used in preserves

WordNet

Quince noun
Etymology
Prob. a pl. from OE. quyne, coin, OF. coin, cooin, F. coing, from L. Cydonius a quince tree, as adj., Cydonian, Gr. Cydonian, a quince, fr. Cydonia, a city in Crete, the Cydonians. Cf. Quiddany.
Definitions
  1. The fruit of a shrub (Cydonia vulgaris) belonging to the same tribe as the apple. It somewhat resembles an apple, but differs in having many seeds in each carpel. It has hard flesh of high flavor, but very acid, and is largely used for marmalade, jelly, and preserves.
  2. (Bot.) a quince tree or shrub.

Webster 1913