The question of whether the orange fruit or the orange color came first is an interesting one. Many people assume the fruit came first and the color was named after it, but the full history of the color orange and origins of the fruit name are more complex. To find the answer, we need to explore the etymology (word origins) of “orange” in English as well as reviewing the history of the cultivation and naming of the orange fruit.
Etymology of the Color Orange
The color orange has only been known by that name in the English language since the 16th century. Before then, the color was simply called “yellow-red” or “red-yellow”. The first recorded use of “orange” as a color name in English was in 1512.
The word entered English through the Spanish word “naranja”, derived from the Sanskrit word नारङ्ग (nāraṅga) which referred to a fruit tree and its fruit. The Spanish word originally could refer to the orange fruit, the orange tree, or orange color. By the early 16th century, the word in English was starting to be used to refer specifically to the orange color, while still also referring to the fruit.
So while the original Sanskrit root word did refer to the fruit, thesegmentation and specialization of the word to mean a color specifically developed in the 16th century English language, not earlier.
History of the Orange Fruit
The orange fruit originated in Asia over 4,000 years ago. The earliest mention of the sweet orange was in Chinese literature in 314 BC. These early cultivated oranges were mostly used for their fragrance rather than consumed as food.
The oranges introduced to Europe in the Middle Ages were bitter rather than sweet. Sweet oranges were brought from India to Europe when Portuguese merchants arrived there in the 15th century, bringing the sweet orange to the rest of Europe and the Mediterranean.
The name used in Europe for the orange fruit was derived from Sanskrit नारङ्ग (nāraṅga) through Persian نارنگ (nārang) and Arabic نارنج (nāranj). This gave rise to Greek and Latin names for the fruit before Spanish, Portuguese, and eventually English adapted versions of the word.
So the name orange referring specifically to the fruit has been used in Europe since the Middle Ages, several centuries earlier than the color was referred to as orange.
Which Came First?
Based on the origins and history above, the evidence clearly shows that the orange fruit came before the color orange. The fruit was cultivated in Asia over 4,000 years ago and traveled to Europe during the Middle Ages where it acquired the name orange. The first recorded use of the color name orange in English was not until 1512.
| Orange Fruit | Orange Color |
|---|---|
| Cultivated in Asia by at least 314 BC | First recorded use as color name in English 1512 AD |
| Brought to Europe in Middle Ages | Evolved from Sanskrit word for orange fruit |
So while the word for the color orange stems from the fruit name, the actual use in English for the color meaning came many centuries after the fruit had acquired the name orange.
Why Did the Color Get the Fruit’s Name?
If the fruit came first, why did the color end up getting named after the fruit instead of the other way around?
The answer has to do with the relative rarity and special status of oranges in Europe when the word for the color was evolving.
Citrus fruits including oranges were exotic imports in medieval Europe. The bright, reddish-yellow color of oranges was a uniquely identifiable hue.
Referring to colors by comparisons was common, such as yellow-red or red-yellow. But orange was special enough that Europeans derived a name from the fruit.
The striking, saturated orange color of the fruit itself inspired co-identification between the hue and the fruit. As oranges became more common, the color orange needed a name distinct from yellow or red – so the special fruit lent its name to the color.
Conclusion
In summary, the orange fruit originated thousands of years before oranges and the related colorful word entered the English language. From its origins in Asia to medieval Europe, the orange fruit had acquired its name well before the need to specifically describe the hue orange arose. Once orange was established as term for the fruit, it was a logical next step to derive a new color name from the vividly orange fruit. So while they are closely linked, evidence shows the orange fruit clearly came before the orange color.
