Quince \Quince\, n. [Prob. a pl. from OE. quyne, coin, OF. coin, cooin, F. coing, from L. Cydonius a quince tree, as adj., Cydonian, Gr. ? Cydonian, ? ? a quince, fr. ? Cydonia, a city in Crete, ? the Cydonians. Cf. Quiddany.]

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, 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 (Zo["o]l.), a small gray and yellow curculio (Conotrachelus crat[ae]gi) whose larva lives in quinces.

Quince tree (Bot.), the small tree (Cydonia vulgaris) which produces the quince.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)