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Also called alligator pear. a large, usually pear-shaped fruit having green to blackish skin, a single large seed, and soft, light-green pulp, borne by the tropical American tree Persea americana and its variety P. adrymifolia, often eaten raw, especially in salads.
the tree itself.
Contemporary Examples

De Merode sits at a long table and digs into a plate piled with rice, beans, and avocado.
A Belgian Prince, Gorillas, Guerrillas & the Future of the Congo Nina Strochlic November 5, 2014

For the avocado Chutney Place all the ingredients in a small bowl.
Daniel Boulud Reveals His 4 Favorite Recipes From His New Cookbook Daniel Boulud October 14, 2013

Of note: The bracketed [a] in the titles means that this is an avocado, as opposed to a male [m] or female [f].
Five Subreddits You May Have Missed, and Probably Still Should Give a Miss Kelly Williams Brown April 4, 2014

Place a sheet of plastic wrap on the surface of the avocado chutney and store, chilled.
Daniel Boulud Reveals His 4 Favorite Recipes From His New Cookbook Daniel Boulud October 14, 2013

“I have three piles of fundraising,” she said, pushing aside a sliced egg and avocado salad to demonstrate.
Can New York Democrat Zephyr Teachout Stop Governor Andrew Cuomo? David Freedlander August 17, 2014

Historical Examples

avocado, a-vo-k′do, n. the alligator-pear, a West Indian fruit.
Chambers’s Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 1 of 4: A-D) Various

The avocado pear-tree, I should think, has no relations among trees!
Adventures of a Young Naturalist Lucien Biart

The avocado is easily reproduced by budding and grafting, and the best varieties may be obtained in this manner.
Fruits of the Hawaiian Islands Gerrit Parmile Wilder

I will be sure to send some avocado plants from Los Angeles to Wardha.
Autobiography of a YOGI Paramhansa Yogananda

avocado pears or alligator pears are pear-shaped, but look more like green and brown fresh figs.
Harper’s Round Table, October 22, 1895 Various

noun (pl) -dos
a pear-shaped fruit having a leathery green or blackish skin, a large stony seed, and a greenish-yellow edible pulp
the tropical American lauraceous tree, Persea americana, that bears this fruit

a dull greenish colour resembling that of the fruit
(as modifier): an avocado bathroom suite

n.

1763, from Spanish avocado, altered (by folk etymology influence of earlier Spanish avocado “lawyer,” from same Latin source as advocate (n.)) from earlier aguacate, from Nahuatl ahuakatl “avocado” (with a secondary meaning “testicle” probably based on resemblance), from proto-Nahuan *pawa “avocado.” As a color-name, first attested 1945. The English corruption alligator (pear) is 1763, from Mexican Spanish alvacata, alligato.