The papaya also known as papaw, or pawpaw is the fruit of the plant Carica papaya.

The papaya is a large, tree-like plant, with a single stem growing from 16 to 33 ft. tall, with spirally arranged leaves confined to the top of the trunk. The Papaya fruit is a type of berry. It is ripe when it feels soft (as soft as a ripe avocado or a bit softer) and its skin has attained an amber to orange hue.

The ripe fruit of the papaya is usually eaten raw, without skin or seeds. The unripe green fruit can be eaten cooked, usually in curries, salads, and stews. Papayas have a relatively high amount of pectin, which can be used to make jellies. The smell of ripe, fresh papaya flesh can strike some people as unpleasant. The black seeds of the papaya are edible and have a sharp, spicy taste. They are sometimes ground and used as a substitute for black pepper.