noun

prune

proon

Prune (noun) means a dried plum. Example: “She added a handful of prunes to the oatmeal.”

noun

A dried plum.

"She added a handful of prunes to the oatmeal."

verb

To cut back branches from a tree or shrub to keep it healthy or shaped.

"He pruned the rose bushes back in early spring."

"The gardener pruned the hedge into a neat rectangle."

To remove unnecessary or excess parts from something, such as text, data, or a list.

"The editor pruned the report down to just the essential points."

To become wrinkled, as skin does after being in water too long.

"Her fingers had pruned after the long bath."

How to use prune

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither a dried plum, or the act of trimming away excess (branches, text, wrinkled fingers).

Common pairings

prune a tree prune the list fingers prune up

Word forms

pruned past tense, pruned past tense, prunes plural, prunes singular, prunes singular

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “prune” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

She added a handful of _____ to the oatmeal.

Etymology

From Old French prune, from Vulgar Latin *pruna, ultimately from Ancient Greek proumnon, "plum" — prune and plum are actually the same word, borrowed at different times.

Origin: Ancient Greek

Synonyms

View more →

old woman

Related words

wife

Rhymes for prune

June lune dune rune tune mune Pune immune fortune Neptune commune tribune

See all rhymes for prune →

Frequently asked questions

What does “prune” mean?

The word “prune” means a dried plum. In plain terms, either a dried plum, or the act of trimming away excess (branches, text, wrinkled fingers).

How do you pronounce “prune”?

“Prune” is pronounced proon (/pɹun/ in IPA).

How do you use “prune” in a sentence?

Here is “prune” used in a sentence: “She added a handful of prunes to the oatmeal.”

What is another word for “prune”?

Words with a similar meaning to “prune” include old woman.

What part of speech is “prune”?

Depending on how it is used, “prune” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “prune” come from?

The word “prune” comes from Ancient Greek. From Old French prune, from Vulgar Latin *pruna, ultimately from Ancient Greek proumnon, "plum" — prune and plum are actually the same word, borrowed at different times.

How many meanings does “prune” have?

“Prune” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a dried plum.

People also searched

wife