crab apple

/ˌkræb ˈæpəl/

Other forms: crab apples

Definitions of crab apple

1. noun

   any of numerous wild apple trees usually with small acidic fruit
   synonyms: crabapple, wild apple

   types:

   Malus sylvestris, wild crab

   wild crab apple native to Europe; a chief ancestor of cultivated apples

   American crab apple, Malus coronaria, garland crab

   medium-sized tree of the eastern United States having pink blossoms and small yellow fruit

   Malus fusca, Oregon crab apple

   small tree or shrub of western United States having white blossoms and tiny yellow or red fruit

   Iowa crab, Iowa crab apple, Malus ioensis, prairie crab, western crab apple

   wild crab apple of western United States with fragrant pink flowers

   Bechtel crab, flowering crab

   derived from the Iowa crab and cultivated for its large double pink blossoms

   type of:

   apple tree

   any tree of the genus Malus especially those bearing firm rounded edible fruits
2. noun

   any of numerous varieties of crab apples cultivated for their small acidic (usually bright red) fruit used for preserves or as ornamentals for their blossoms
   synonyms: crabapple, cultivated crab apple

   types:

   Malus baccata, Siberian crab, Siberian crab apple, cherry apple, cherry crab

   Asian wild crab apple cultivated in many varieties for it small acid usually red fruit used for preserving

   Malus angustifolia, Southern crab apple, flowering crab

   small tree or shrub of southeastern United States; cultivated as an ornamental for its rose-colored blossoms

   type of:

   apple tree

   any tree of the genus Malus especially those bearing firm rounded edible fruits
3. noun

   small sour apple; suitable for preserving
   synonyms: crabapple

   type of:

   apple

   fruit with red or yellow or green skin and sweet to tart crisp whitish flesh