English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From French christophine.

Noun

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christophine (plural christophines)

  1. chayote
    • 2003, Giséle Pineau, Macadam dreams, page 57:
      No, the Almighty never told black folks to eat christophines every blessed day!
    • 2005, Lona Gray, Caught by the Lure of the Sea, page 217:
      He asked Ras why the green christophine vegetables we bought from him didn't ripen into the creamy white color we have come to expect from christophine.

French

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Etymology

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From Christophe +‎ -ine, referring to the Caribbean island of Saint Kitts where the plant is endemic. Attested as cristophine from 1827.[1]

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /kʁis.tɔ.fin/
  • Audio:(file)
  • Audio (Paris):(file)

Noun

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christophine f (plural christophines)

  1. (French Antilles, French Guiana) chayote, christophine (Sechium edule)
    Synonyms: chayotte, (Réunion) chouchou, (Madagascar, New Caledonia, French Polynesia) chouchoute, (Haiti, Louisiana) mirliton

References

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  1. ^ Oxford English Dictionary, Third Edition, March 2020, published online at OED Online