Meaning
A round, deep-purple tropical fruit (Chrysophyllum cainito) whose soft, sweet, milky flesh shows a beautiful star-shaped pattern of seed cells when the fruit is cut across the middle — hence its name. Eaten fresh by scooping out the sweet, gelatinous pulp, the star apple is a much-loved seasonal fruit, and it is the key ingredient, married to orange, in the beloved dessert 'matrimony'. A little tricky to eat, its skin and rind bitter, its heart honey-sweet, it is one of the choice, distinctive fruits of the Jamaican yard and market.
Examples
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Cut di star apple an yuh see di star inside.
Cut the star apple and you see the star inside.
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Star apple mix wid orange mek matrimony.
Star apple mixed with orange makes matrimony (a fruit dessert).
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Di star apple ripe an sweet pon di tree.
The star apple is ripe and sweet on the tree.
Origin
Named for the star pattern revealed when the fruit is cut crosswise; known elsewhere as caimito.
How it’s used
Famous for the star in its cross-section; used in the fruit salad called 'matrimony'.