lichee

1 of 3

noun (1)

li·​chee

less common spelling of lychee

1
or lychee nut or litchi nut or less commonly lichee nut : the small, oval to roundish fruit of a Chinese tree (Litchi chinensis) of the soapberry family having a rough or warty, yellow, pink, or reddish leathery rind and sweet to slightly acidic usually whitish edible flesh that surrounds a single large seed

Note: The lychee, grown commercially in tropical and subtropical regions, is a type of fruit called a drupe, and its edible flesh is the fruit's aril.

2
: a slow-growing tree that bears lychees and has glossy, leathery leaves and terminal clusters of tiny, apetalous, greenish-white to yellow flowers

litchi

2 of 3

noun (2)

li·​tchi

variant spelling of lychee

1
or lychee nut or litchi nut or less commonly lichee nut : the small, oval to roundish fruit of a Chinese tree (Litchi chinensis) of the soapberry family having a rough or warty, yellow, pink, or reddish leathery rind and sweet to slightly acidic usually whitish edible flesh that surrounds a single large seed

Note: The lychee, grown commercially in tropical and subtropical regions, is a type of fruit called a drupe, and its edible flesh is the fruit's aril.

2
: a slow-growing tree that bears lychees and has glossy, leathery leaves and terminal clusters of tiny, apetalous, greenish-white to yellow flowers
variants or litchi or less commonly lichee
1
or lychee nut or litchi nut or less commonly lichee nut : the small, oval to roundish fruit of a Chinese tree (Litchi chinensis) of the soapberry family having a rough or warty, yellow, pink, or reddish leathery rind and sweet to slightly acidic usually whitish edible flesh that surrounds a single large seed

Note: The lychee, grown commercially in tropical and subtropical regions, is a type of fruit called a drupe, and its edible flesh is the fruit's aril.

2
: a slow-growing tree that bears lychees and has glossy, leathery leaves and terminal clusters of tiny, apetalous, greenish-white to yellow flowers

Examples of lichee in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
So prized is litchi in China that fruit from select varieties typically sells for as much as $10 per fruit. Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 13 Dec. 2025
Noun
The outdoor deck has ringside seats to view the waterfront at sunset, with an ice-cold lychee martini in hand. Zoey Goto, Travel + Leisure, 2 June 2026 The farm has pink and Thai guavas year-round, while lychee trees are in season around May until the end of June. Delia Rose Sauer, Miami Herald, 19 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for lichee

Word History

Etymology

Noun (3)

Chinese (Beijing) lìzhī

First Known Use

Noun (3)

1588, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of lichee was in 1588

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lichee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lichee. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

lichee

variant of lychee

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