Albaricoque

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of fruit also known as an apricot, characterized by its small size and yellow-orange color
2. A sweet, juicy stone fruit with a smooth skin, commonly found in warm climates and often used in desserts
3. A member of the Rosaceae family, this fruit is known for its distinctive flavor and is often used in jellies and jams

Etymology: The Spanish word "albaricoque" hides an Arabic article. Its "al-" is the same definite article found in "alcohol" and "algebra," and the rest of the word, "barqūq," was the Arabic name for the fruit. The name is older still: Latin "praecoquum," meaning "early-ripening," described a fruit that ripened ahead of others, and Greek speakers borrowed it as "berikokkion." Arabic then took the word and gave it the article. So the fruit was named for its timing, not its taste. The Latin root "coquere" means "to cook" or "to ripen," which is why the fruit's name points to early ripening in a warm climate. The word passed into Spanish and Portuguese, and from there into English, which turned it into "apricot."

Synonyms: apricot