équeuter

Senses

1. 1.

   to remove the stem from (fruit)

   to pull off or cut away the stem or stalk of fruit like strawberries

2. 2.

   to dock (a tail)

   to cut off or shorten the tail of an animal

Examples

• "Il faut équeuter les fraises avant de les manger."

  You need to remove the stems from the strawberries before eating them.

• "Le vétérinaire a équeuté le cheval selon les pratiques anciennes."

  The veterinarian docked the horse's tail according to old practices.

• "Ma mère équeutte les cerises avec un petit couteau."

  My mother removes the stems from cherries with a small knife.

Usage

A regular -er verb. Most commonly used in the context of preparing fresh berries or fruit in the kitchen. The animal docking sense is now considered archaic or controversial in many countries.