Mexican breadfruit

noun

: a monstera (Monstera deliciosa) of southern Mexico to Panama that is often grown as a houseplant and that has large, glossy, deeply incised or perforated leaves, an erect floral spadix enclosed in a white to yellow concave bract, and an elongated, scaly, sweet fruit

also : the fruit of the Mexican breadfruit

The Mexican breadfruit is making a rather curious appearance in some produce aisles. … Beneath a tough exterior lies a creamy, almost custardy, consistency, with a texture somewhere between a banana and a pineapple and a flavor not far off … —

The Washington Post

Note: The name Mexican breadfruit stems from the fact that the elongated fruit of this plant resembles that of the unrelated breadfruit of the mulberry family. The Mexican breadfruit is also known as ceriman, split-leaf philodendron, and Swiss cheese plant.

Word History

First Known Use

1873, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of Mexican breadfruit was in 1873

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Mexican breadfruit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Mexican%20breadfruit. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Copy Citation