fig

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈfig How to pronounce fig (audio)
Synonyms of fignext
1
a
: an oblong or pear-shaped syconium fruit of a tree (genus Ficus) of the mulberry family
b
: a tree bearing figs : a ficus tree
especially : a widely cultivated tree (F. carica) that produces edible figs see also strangler fig, weeping fig compare banyan, peepul, rubber plant
2
: a worthless trifle : the least bit
doesn't care a fig

Illustration of fig

Illustration of fig
  • fig 1

fig

2 of 3

noun (2)

: dress, array
… a young woman in dazzling royal full fig …—Mollie Panter-Downes

fig

3 of 3

abbreviation

figurative; figuratively; figure

Synonyms of fig

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Noun (1)

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Examples of fig in a Sentence

Noun (1) they choose to live modestly and don't seem to give a fig for the trappings of success
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
According to organizers, subjects covered include fig tree stranglers, various symbols of the underworld and evil-spirit resisters like fennel. — Pedro Moura, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026 L’Artisan Parfumeur’s Premier Figuier, which launched in 1994, is widely considered to have been the first-ever fig fragrance. — April Long, Allure, 12 Oct. 2026 Make sure to bake in some time to walk among the property’s knotty olive and fig trees, too. — Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2026 Nearby, the neat rows of grapevines and fig trees his family had tended for three generations had vanished under piles of rubble. — Ghada Abdulfattah, Christian Science Monitor, 2 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fig

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English fige, from Anglo-French, from Old Occitan figa, from Vulgar Latin *fica, from Latin ficus fig tree, fig

Noun (2)

fig, verb, to adorn

First Known Use

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

1835, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fig was in the 13th century

Phrases Containing fig

Rhymes for fig

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Browse Nearby Words

fifty-two
fig
figaro sauce
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Cite this Entry

“Fig.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fig. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

fig

noun
ˈfig
: an oblong or pear-shaped fruit that grows on a tree related to the mulberries
also : a tree bearing figs

Medical Definition

fig

1 of 2 noun
ˈfig How to pronounce fig (audio)
1
: an oblong or pear-shaped fruit that is a syconium
especially : the edible fruit of a widely cultivated tree (Ficus carica) that has laxative qualities
2
: any of a genus (Ficus) of trees of the mulberry family that produce figs

fig

2 of 2 abbreviation
figure

More from Merriam-Webster on fig

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fig

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