The term "fruit" is a collective description for the fruit and seeds of both wild and cultivated plants that can be eaten raw. Usually their taste may be described as sweet or tangy.

A distinction is made between fruit with pips or stones, berries, shell fruit, tropical fruit and wild fruit. Strictly speaking, nuts fall into the "shell fruit" category. Shell fruit includes all types of fruit with edible seeds (fruit core) surrounded by an inedible, hard shell. This group includes cashew nuts, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, brazil nuts, pecan nuts, pistachios and walnuts.