Ovocem

Ovocem is the instrumental singular form of the Czech neuter noun ovoce, which means fruit. In standard Czech, ovoce is used to refer to fruit collectively, and ovocem is the grammatical form used when the noun functions as an instrument or means in a sentence, often in constructions with prepositions that require the instrumental case (for example with the preposition s, meaning with).

Morphology and usage notes: The stem of ovoce remains the same, and the instrumental singular ending is -em, yielding ovocem. The instrumental plural form is ovocemi. In modern prose, ovocem appears in descriptive or culinary contexts and in phrases that describe how something is done with fruit, such as decoration, flavoring, or accompaniment.

Examples:

- Dort byl ozdoben ovocem. (The cake was decorated with fruit.)

- Z ledničky vyjížděly různé suroviny, včetně ovocem doplněných koláčů. (Various ingredients, including fruit-filled pastries, were taken from the fridge.)

- Dochutit ovocem znamená přidat ovoce pro chuť a vůni. (To flavor with fruit means to add fruit for taste and aroma.)

Notes: Ovocem is not a separate lexical item beyond being the grammatical form of ovoce. Its use is determined by Czech case rules and the syntactic role the noun plays within a sentence.