Quince n.
 1. The fruit of a shrub (Cydonia vulgaris) belonging to the same tribe as the apple. It somewhat resembles an apple, but differs in having many seeds in each carpel. It has hard flesh of high flavor, but very acid, and is largely used for marmalade, jelly, and preserves.
 2. Bot. a quince tree or shrub.
 Japan quince Bot., an Eastern Asiatic shrub (Cydonia Japonica, formerly Pyrus Japonica) and its very fragrant but inedible fruit.  The shrub has very showy flowers, usually red, but sometimes pink or white, and is much grown for ornament.
 Quince curculio Zool., a small gray and yellow curculio (Conotrachelus cratægi) whose larva lives in quinces.
 Quince tree Bot., the small tree (Cydonia vulgaris) which produces the quince.
 ◄ ►
 Cy·do·nin n. Chem. A peculiar mucilaginous substance extracted from the seeds of the quince (Cydonia vulgaris), and regarded as a variety of amylose.
 ◄ ►