The Etymology of “Orange”
The word “orange” has complex origins, with debate over whether the fruit or color came first. The fruit originated in Southeast Asia and was introduced to Europe in the 1500s. The earliest known use of “orange” as a color term in English dates back to 1512, while the earliest known use referring to the fruit is from the 1530s. So there is evidence the color designation came first.
However, the origin of the word before it entered English is unclear. The route from the Sanskrit “nāraṅga” through Arabic and Old French is complex. The color term could derive from the fruit, or vice versa. The ultimate origin is inconclusive.
The Origins of Oranges
Oranges originated in Southeast Asia, specifically Southern China, Northeast India, and Myanmar. They were first cultivated in China around 2500 BC. From there, oranges spread through India and the Middle East along trade routes like the Silk Road. They arrived in Europe with Portuguese sailors in the mid-1500s.
Sweet oranges likely arose from hybrids of wild oranges native to Southeast Asia. Bitter oranges were also cultivated in China and spread along the same routes. Sweet oranges (Citrus sinensis) and bitter oranges (Citrus aurantium) both contributed to the oranges we know today.
The Earliest Known Uses of “Orange”
The earliest known recorded uses of “orange” in English highlight the complex relationship between the fruit and color meanings:
| Year | Use | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1512 | “Yeolowe as an orynge.” (poem) | Color term |
| 1530s | “Pomme dorenges.” (poem) | Fruit term |
So the color meaning appeared first in English texts, but it is unclear if the word stemmed from the fruit at an earlier point before entering English.
The Color Orange in Nature
While the orange fruit originated in Asia, the orange color is widespread in nature long before oranges spread via trade:
- Flowers like California poppies, marigolds, honeysuckle
- Butterflies like monarchs and swallowtails
- Reptiles like poison dart frogs
- Fish like goldfish and koi
- Birds like orioles, flamingos, canaries
- Minerals like fire opal
- The sun and horizons at sunrise/sunset
The prevalence of orange across so many organisms and landscapes shows it is a common pigment in nature not unique to oranges.
Etymological Theories on “Orange”
Scholars have proposed various origins for “orange”:
From the Arabic Word for Orange Trees
Some claim it comes from the Arabic “nāranj,” derived from the Persian “nārang,” referring to the bitter orange tree introduced to the Middle East around the 10th century. This became “orenge” in Old French.
From the Sanskrit Word for Orange Trees
Others trace it further back to the Sanskrit “nāraṅga,” referring to orange trees in ancient texts like the Ramayana. This passed through Persian into Arabic, then to Old French “pome orenge”.
From the French Region Orange
A third theory links it to Orange, a city in the south of France, famous for oranges that grew there in the late 1600s. However, this is unlikely since the word existed over a century earlier.
Conclusion
In the end, there is no definitive answer to whether the orange fruit or orange color came first. The origins are murky, with intertwined paths between Arabic, Old French, and Sanskrit terminology relating to orange trees. While the color term predates the fruit in English texts, it is impossible to pinpoint the ultimate origin. Thealigned paths between words for orange trees in Eastern languages suggest both fruit and color developed together. So the orange fruit did not clearly precede the concept of orange as a color, but neither did the color clearly precede the fruit itself. Their histories are intrinsically interlinked.
