PRUNE Definition & Meaning

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prune

[ proon ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a variety of plum that dries without spoiling.
such a plum when dried.
any plum.

prune

[ proon ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

verb (used with object)

pruned, pruning.

to cut or lop off (twigs, branches, or roots).
to cut or lop superfluous or undesired twigs, branches, or roots from; trim.
to rid or clear of (anything superfluous or undesirable).
to remove (anything considered superfluous or undesirable).

prune

[ proon ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

verb (used with object)

pruned, pruning.

Archaic. to preen.

prune

/ ��ː�� /

noun

a purplish-black partially dried fruit of any of several varieties of plum tree
slang.
a dull, uninteresting, or foolish person

prune

/ ��ː�� /

verb

to remove (dead or superfluous twigs, branches, etc) from (a tree, shrub, etc), esp by cutting off
to remove (anything undesirable or superfluous) from (a book, etc)

prune

/ ��ː�� /

verb

an archaic word for preen 1

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Derived Forms

ˈ��ܲԲ��, adjective
ˈ��ܲԱ��, noun

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Other �y��vlog Forms

��ܲ�·��·�� adjective
��ܲ�·��·��·��·�ٲ� [proo-n, uh, -, bil, -i-tee], noun
��ܲ�·�� noun
un·��ܲ�·��·�� adjective

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of prune¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English prune, pruna, prum “plum, dried plum, prune,” from Old French prune, pronne, prume, from unrecorded Vulgar Latin ��ū�Բ�, neuter plural (taken as feminine singular) of Latin ��ū�Գܳ� “plum,” from Greek ��û(��)�Դǲ�, from a language of ancient Anatolia, where the tree and its fruit originated; plum

Origin of prune²

First recorded in 1400–50; from Middle English prouynen, from Middle French prougner, from Old French prooignier, proignier, poroindre “to cut back (vines); prune”; further origin uncertain; perhaps from unrecorded Vulgar Latin ��ō��ǳٳܲԻ徱�� “to make round, cut in a rounded shape”; perhaps a variant of French provigner “to layer vines,” a derivative of provain “scion,” from Latin ��Ǳ��岵��-, stem of ��Ǳ��岵ō; propagate; rotund ( def )

Origin of prune³

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English prunen, pruynen, proy(g)nen, from Old French poroign-, present stem of poroindre, equivalent to por- (from Latin pro-) + oindre “to anoint”; pro- ¹, unguent; preen ¹

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of prune¹

C14: from Old French prune, from Latin ��ū�Գܳ� plum, from Greek prounon

Origin of prune²

C15: from Old French proignier to clip, probably from provigner to prune vines, from provain layer (of a plant), from Latin ��Ǳ��岵�� a cutting

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Idioms and Phrases

see full of beans , def. 2.

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

I am told there may be some "light pruning" but no major changes are expected.

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However, the chancellor suggested a loss of 10,000 roles, which is only a pruning of a workforce of over half a million - especially as it sees 30-40,000 leavers every year.

From

Think of classic pairings: sautéed apples with pork chops, applesauce with latkes, or the tangy sweetness of prunes in dishes like Chicken Marbella.

From

It is understood welfare spending is in the firing line, but other government departments will also see budgets pruned.

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“We work, even when we’re scared,” one worker said, while pruning grape vines on a recent afternoon.

From

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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