Satsuma

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /sætˈsuː.mə/

Definitions

1. A sweet, small citrus fruit that is easy to peel and often enjoyed fresh
2. A type of mandarin orange characterized by its loose skin and seedless segments, commonly cultivated in temperate climates
3. A citrus fruit known for its thin, glossy rind and juicy, sweet flesh, typically harvested in late autumn or early winter

Etymology: The satsuma is named after Satsuma, a former province on Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan's main islands, which is now the western part of Kagoshima Prefecture. The fruit reached the West from there, and the place name stuck to it as its only name in English. The Japanese word for the fruit is "unshū mikan," so the English name is a geographic label that stands in for a Japanese fruit name the West never picked up. The place name itself is written 薩摩 and read "Satsuma" in its Japanese pronunciation. Because the fruit arrived in the West through that region, English speakers adopted the place name directly, much as they later borrowed names of other products from their places of origin.