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The Colour Orange Was Named After The Fruit

Which came first, the colour or the fruit?

orange tree

Interesting Facts in Easy English

Pre-Listening Vocabulary

  • etymologist: a person who studies the evolution of languages
  • citrus: a plant family that includes lemons, limes, oranges, and grapefruit
  • evolve: to change over time
  • drop: to let go; to no longer use
  • Sanskrit: an ancient language in India

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The Colour Orange Was Named After The Fruit

You often hear the , “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?”. Have you ever wondered about colour words? etymologists, the colour orange was named after the citrus fruit. It evolved from the word “naranja” meaning “orange tree”. The Spanish word came from a Sanskrit word. In the 16th century, when the fruit became available in Europe, the English dropped the “n” and began using the word “orange” to describe the colour orange. in Old English, the colour orange had been called yellow-red (“geoluhread”).

Comprehension Questions

  1. Which came first, the colour orange or the citrus fruit?
  2. How did the word “naranja” evolve into orange?
  3. What does “geoluhread” translate to in Modern English?

Discussion Question: There is no English word that rhymes perfectly with “orange”. What other English words can you think of that don’t rhyme with any other English word?

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