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can·is·tel

(kănĭ-stĕl′)

1. An evergreen tree (Pouteria campechiana) native to Mexico and Central America, bearing fruit having sweet, deep-yellow flesh with the texture of hard-boiled egg yolk.

2. The fruit of this tree. In both senses also called eggfruit.

[Cuban and Central American Spanish, from a Mayan source such as Yucatec Maya k'aniste', canistel, probably literally, “tree bearing yellow fruit like sweet potatoes” : k'an, yellow + iis, sweet potato (in reference to the taste and texture of canistel fruit) + te', tree.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

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The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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