Jaffas

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of fruit often identified as a variant of orange known for its sweet and juicy flesh
2. A term stemming from Australian slang that may refer to the enjoyment of fruit in social contexts
3. A colloquial expression that might imply a casual or playful attitude towards fruit or snacks in festive gatherings

Etymology: Jaffas are named after a city, not a fruit. Jaffa is an ancient port on the coast of what is now Israel, and it was the export point from which the oranges reached European markets, so the oranges themselves came to be called Jaffa oranges after the place they shipped from. The sweets took their name from the fruit's flavour, and the plural form "jaffas" simply refers to the small round sweets. The same place-name gave English a rather different sense. In British slang, a "jaffa" is an impotent man, a joke built on the idea that the fruit is seedless. Jaffa oranges were prized partly because they had no pips, so the word turned a horticultural selling point into an insult. Cricket supplies another meaning. From the bowler's side, a "jaffa" is a delivery so good that it is almost unplayable, and the metaphor draws on the same fruity sweetness. In Australia the name is also a trademark for a red, round lolly, which keeps the sweet sense alive there.

Synonyms: chocolates, candies, sweets, oranges