A raisin is a dried grape, usually dark and wrinkled, that tastes sweet and chewy. It is often eaten as a snack or used in baked goods and cereals.
It comes from Old French “raisin,” meaning “grape,” from Latin “racemus,” meaning “bunch of grapes.” In modern French, “raisin” still means “grape,” while “raisin sec” means “dried grape.”
In English, a raisin is a dried grape, but in French, “raisin” is just a regular grape, which can surprise language learners. Drying grapes into raisins is an ancient form of food technology, turning a fragile fruit into a long‑lasting sugar and energy source.
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