Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Quince \Quince\, n. [Prob. a pl. from OE. quyne, coin, OF. coin,
   cooin, F. coing, from L. Cydonius a quince tree, as adj.,
   Cydonian, Gr. ? Cydonian, ? ? a quince, fr. ? Cydonia, a city
   in Crete, ? the Cydonians. Cf. {Quiddany}.]
   1. The fruit of a shrub ({Cydonia vulgaris}) belonging to the
      same tribe as the apple. It somewhat resembles an apple,
      but differs in having many seeds in each carpel. It has
      hard flesh of high flavor, but very acid, and is largely
      used for marmalade, jelly, and preserves.

   2. (Bot.) a quince tree or shrub.

   {Japan quince} (Bot.), an Eastern Asiatic shrub ({Cydonia},
      formerly {Pyrus, Japonica}) and its very fragrant but
      inedible fruit. The shrub has very showy flowers, usually
      red, but sometimes pink or white, and is much grown for
      ornament.

   {Quince curculio} (Zo["o]l.), a small gray and yellow
      curculio ({Conotrachelus crat[ae]gi}) whose larva lives in
      quinces.

   {Quince tree} (Bot.), the small tree ({Cydonia vulgaris})
      which produces the quince.