The word “orange” has been used to describe the color and fruit since the early 16th century. The origins of the word can be traced back to several ancient languages, and its emergence in English is linked to the introduction of the fruit to Europe. But why did the name “orange” get applied to both the color and fruit? Here are some key facts about the history and etymology of the word “orange” that help explain its usage today:
The Fruit Came First
The name “orange” originated as a way to refer specifically to the fruit, which was introduced to Europe by Portuguese traders in the late 15th century. The Portuguese imported orange trees from Asia and established them in gardens in Lisbon. They called the fruit “naranja,” which derived from the Sanskrit word “naranga” and Arabic “naranj.” This became “orange” in English.
Orange the Color was Named After the Fruit
Before oranges arrived in Europe, there was no English word for the color between yellow and red that we know as orange today. The English referred to this color as “geoluhread,” which literally meant “yellow-red.” But once oranges became known, Europeans began referring to this color as “orange” simply because it was the color of oranges.
Early Use in English
One of the earliest recorded uses of “orange” to mean the color in English dates back to 1512. A merchant named Sir Thomas More wrote about “orange tawny cloth,” referring to a shade of yellow-red cloth. By the 1540s, references to “orange color” become more common.
Distinguishing From Red
As the name “orange” became more established in English to describe the fruit and color, it was useful for distinguishing it from red. Red dyes and pigments were very common and accessible in Europe. But orange was still hard to achieve with dyes or paint until the 18th century. Having the name “orange” helped identify the new vivid fruit and color as something different from red that people were familiar with.
Adoption in Other Languages
The word “orange” was not just confined to English. Many other European languages came to use forms of the word “orange” to describe the color, taking inspiration from the fruit. For example, “naranja” in Spanish, “laranja” in Portuguese, and “arancia” in Italian. So the prominence of oranges helped spread its name as the standard way to refer to its color across multiple languages.
The Orange Becomes Common
As orange trees propagated across the Mediterranean region and eventually throughout Europe, oranges transitioned from being an exotic foreign fruit to a common crop and food. By the 18th century, oranges were being grown extensively in the Americas as well. The widespread availability of oranges reinforced and spread the use of the name for the color as well. What started as the name for a newly introduced fruit became the ubiquitous word for a color that was now easy to associate with oranges commonly eaten.
Scientific Language Reflects History
The scientific taxonomy of oranges also reflects this history. Oranges belong to the genus Citrus and family Rutaceae. But oranges themselves are part of the subcategory Citrus x sinensis. The “sinensis” part of the name comes from China, because oranges were believed to have first been cultivated in China then brought to Europe via India. So oranges’ scientific name retains that early connection to China, while their common name reflects the route they took into Europe and then English from India through Arabic and Romance languages.
The Age of Orange and Associations
Use of the word “orange” exploded starting in the mid-19th century, as oranges became inexpensive and extensively traded commodities. Orange groves and orange cultivation spread into warm climates around the globe, cementing its availability. Associating things with oranges and the color orange took off as well.
| Year | Orange Usage Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1840s | Popular girls’ name “Orange” appears |
| 1878 | James Clerk Maxwell names orange portion of spectrum |
| 1890 | NYC’s Orange Riots over Protestant parades |
| 1907 | Orange Network of AT&T telephone lines |
| 1910s | Orange flags and colors used in women’s suffrage movement |
Brands and products increasingly used orange to stand out and associate with vibrancy, like Florida Orange Juice advertising starting in the 1920s.
Orange vs Tangerine vs Mandarin
Closely related to oranges are tangerines and mandarins. While technically separate species of citrus fruits, they are very similar to common oranges. And in fact the word “tangerine” derives from Tangier, Morocco where the fruit was first exported to Europe from. “Mandarin” comes from a group of Chinese dialects that were associated with the officials of imperial China.
So why are mandarins and especially tangerines often incorrectly referred to as oranges? It again has to do with the dominance of oranges globally. Oranges make up about 70% of citrus production, with tangerines, mandarins, and similar “small oranges” making up around 26%. So although they are botanically distinct fruits, “orange” became the catch-all term in English for any small spherical citrus fruit with an orange coloring.
Conclusion
From its origins describing an exotic imported fruit, the word “orange” has expanded to encompass a color, fruit varieties, and associations beyond citrus. The story of why we call an orange orange reveals how language develops new words and then those words take on a life of their own. Whether referring to a color, fruit, flavor, or symbolic meaning, the diverse uses of “orange” today all began with a word adopted into English to describe an alluring and delicious fruit.
