a Chinese sapindaceous tree, Litchi chinensis, cultivated for its round edible fruits
2.
the fruit of this tree, which has a whitish juicy edible aril
Word origin
C16: from Cantonese lai chi
litchi in American English
(ˈliˌtʃi)
noun
1.
a Chinese evergreen tree (Litchi chinensis) of the soapberry family, cultivated in warm climates for its fruit
2.
its fruit, usually eaten as a dried or preserved nut (litchi nut): it consists of a single seed surrounded by a sweet, edible, raisinlike pulp, enclosed in a rough, brown, papery shell