Fruit Ninja

4.0

A phone game where you swipe the screen to cut flying fruit while avoiding bombs

proper noun

: Fruit Ninja

She spent hours playing Fruit Ninja on her phone during the flight.

Examples

Many children enjoy the fast-paced action of Fruit Ninja.
Have you tried Fruit Ninja yet?
He set a new high score in Fruit Ninja last night.
I love playing Fruit Ninja on my phone.
He set a new high score in Fruit Ninja last night.
Many children enjoy the fast-paced action of Fruit Ninja.
She spent hours playing Fruit Ninja on her phone during the flight.

Surface Forms

Fruit Ninja main

Morphology

fruit + ninja

The compound 'Fruit Ninja' transparently combines the known words 'fruit' and 'ninja', so a B1 learner can infer it relates to a ninja-like figure or activity involving fruit. However, the specific referent—a branded mobile game about swiping to slice flying fruit (and avoiding bombs) and its gameplay mechanics—is not predictable from the constituents alone, and as a proper-name brand the exact meaning requires prior exposure.

Etymology

Fruit Ninja creates a clear picture: a fast ninja cutting flying fruit. That picture became the game's idea because you swipe the screen to 'slice' fruit while avoiding bombs, so the name tells you what the game is about.