The Straight Dope: What came first, orange or oranges?

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What came first, orange or oranges?

27-Jun-1975

Dear Cecil:

Was the orange named orange because of orange, or was orange named orange because of oranges? You want me to repeat the question? -- Pete B., Washington, D.C.

Dear Pete:

Spare me. The noun preceded the adjective, deriving ultimately from the Sanskrit naranga, "orange tree." It is thought that the initial n may have been dropped in French or Italian as it was assimilated into the definite article--i.e., une narange became une arange, and una narancia became una arancia. The first English use of the word "orange" as a color adjective appears to have been in 1620.

--CECIL ADAMS

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