Definition

1. Noun:
   • Fruit preserved by drying: "Dried fruit" refers to fruit from which the majority of the original water content has been removed, either naturally through sun drying or through the use of specialized dryers or dehydrators. This preservation method concentrates the fruit's flavor and nutrients, resulting in a sweet, chewy, and long-lasting food product.

Usage

• General Use: Used to describe the category of preserved fruits, often eaten as a snack, used in baking, or added to cereals and trail mixes.
• Countable/Uncountable: Typically used as an uncountable noun when referring to the substance or category (e.g., "I bought some dried fruit"). It can be used in a countable sense when referring to types or pieces (e.g., "Various dried fruits are available," "She ate three pieces of dried fruit").

Examples

• Noun:
  • Dried fruit is a healthy alternative to candy.
  • The recipe calls for a cup of mixed dried fruit, including apricots and raisins.
  • He packed a bag of nuts and dried fruit for the hike.

Advanced Usage

• "To dry fruit" (verb phrase): The process of making dried fruit.
  • They dry fruit in the sun during the summer months.

Variants and Related Words

• Dried (adjective): Describes something from which moisture has been removed. (e.g., dried herbs, dried meat).
• Dehydrated fruit: A synonym often used in more technical or commercial contexts, emphasizing the water removal process.
• Specific types are often referred to by their own names, which are compound nouns:
  • Raisin: Dried grape.
  • Prune: Dried plum.
  • Date: While often eaten fresh, is also a common dried fruit.
  • Apricot (dried): Dried apricot.
  • Fig (dried): Dried fig.

Synonyms

• Dehydrated fruit: Fruit that has had its water content removed.
• Preserved fruit: A broader term that can include fruits preserved by methods other than drying (e.g., canning, sugaring).

Related Phrases

• Trail mix: A snack mix often containing dried fruit, nuts, and sometimes chocolate.
• Fruit leather: A sheet of dried fruit puree, related to but distinct from whole or piece dried fruit.

Noun

1. fruit preserved by drying