Is an almond a stone fruit?

No, an almond is not classified as a stone fruit. Instead, it is considered a drupe, which is a type of fruit that has a hard shell or pit enclosing the seed. While almonds do have a hard outer shell, they are primarily cultivated for the edible seed inside, which is what we commonly refer to as the almond. Stone fruits, like peaches and cherries, have a fleshy exterior surrounding a single hard pit.