peach
PEECH
Peach (noun) means a soft, juicy fruit with fuzzy yellow-red skin and a large single stone, grown on the Prunus persica tree. Example: “She bit into a ripe peach, and juice ran down her chin.”
noun
1
A soft, juicy fruit with fuzzy yellow-red skin and a large single stone, grown on the Prunus persica tree.
"She bit into a ripe peach, and juice ran down her chin."
"I packed a peach and a sandwich for my lunch at school."
"Gran cut the peach into slices and added them to the yoghurt."
2
A pale yellowish-pink color resembling the fruit's skin.
"The bridesmaids wore dresses in a soft peach shade."
3
Informal: a particularly pleasing or likeable person or thing.
"That new intern is a peach — always willing to help."
"Thanks for picking up my parcel, you're a peach!"
"What a peach of a day for a picnic by the river."
verb
1
British slang: to inform on someone, especially to the police.
"He threatened to peach on his old partner in crime."
"Nobody in the gang would peach on the others, whatever the police offered."
"In the old film, the clerk peached to the inspector about the stolen goods."
How to use peach
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe fruit, the soft pink-orange color, or (informally) a delightful person; as a verb in British slang, to snitch.
When to use it
The "inform on someone" verb sense is dated British slang, rarely used today.
Common pairings
ripe peach
peach fuzz
peach-colored
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Word forms
- Plural
- peaches
- Third person singular
- peaches
- Past tense
- peached
- Comparative
- more peach
- Superlative
- most peach
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She bit into a ripe _____, and juice ran down her chin.
Etymology
The peach traveled west along the Silk Road from Persia, and its name reflects that journey — it comes ultimately from a Latin phrase meaning "Persian apple", via Old French pesche.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for peach
See all rhymes for peach →Frequently asked questions
What does “peach” mean?
The word “peach” means a soft, juicy fruit with fuzzy yellow-red skin and a large single stone, grown on the Prunus persica tree. In plain terms, the fruit, the soft pink-orange color, or (informally) a delightful person; as a verb in British slang, to snitch.
How do you pronounce “peach”?
“Peach” is pronounced PEECH (/ˈpiːt͡ʃ/ in IPA).
How do you use “peach” in a sentence?
Here is “peach” used in a sentence: “She bit into a ripe peach, and juice ran down her chin.”
What part of speech is “peach”?
Depending on how it is used, “peach” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “peach” come from?
The word “peach” comes from Latin. The peach traveled west along the Silk Road from Persia, and its name reflects that journey — it comes ultimately from a Latin phrase meaning "Persian apple", via Old French pesche.
Is “peach” a common word?
“Peach” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “peach” have?
“Peach” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a soft, juicy fruit with fuzzy yellow-red skin and a large single stone, grown on the Prunus persica tree.
What is the difference between a peach and a nectarine?
A peach has soft, fuzzy skin, while a nectarine is a smooth-skinned relative in the same fruit family; both grow on trees of the Prunus genus and share a similar juicy flesh and large single stone. The fuzzy skin is the main feature that distinguishes a peach.
What does it mean to call someone a peach?
Informally, calling someone a peach means they are a particularly pleasing or likeable person. This usage treats the fruit's appealing qualities as a metaphor for someone's pleasant character.
What does "peach on someone" mean in British slang?
In British slang, to "peach" on someone means to inform on them, especially to the police. This is a verb use of the word distinct from its meaning as a fruit.
Is peach a color as well as a fruit?
Yes, peach also describes a pale yellowish-pink color that resembles the skin of the fruit. It is commonly used to name shades in fashion, design, and cosmetics.
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