orange
O-rihnj
Orange (noun) means a round citrus fruit with a sweet-tart taste and a thick, textured peel that turns yellow-orange when ripe; also the tree it grows on. Example: “She squeezed a fresh orange for breakfast juice.”
noun
1
A round citrus fruit with a sweet-tart taste and a thick, textured peel that turns yellow-orange when ripe; also the tree it grows on.
"She squeezed a fresh orange for breakfast juice."
"I peeled an orange and shared the segments with my brother."
"An orange tree grows in the corner of our neighbour's garden."
2
The reddish-yellow color of the ripe fruit, midway between red and yellow.
"The sunset painted the sky a deep orange."
"The leaves turned a rich orange and red before they finally fell."
"She mixed yellow and red paint to get a bright orange."
adjective
1
Having the color orange.
"He wore bright orange sneakers to the game."
"The children wore orange jackets so the teacher could spot them easily."
"Carrots are usually orange, though some farmers grow purple ones."
How to use orange
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe citrus fruit, or the color named after it.
Common pairings
orange juice
burnt orange
orange peel
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Word forms
- Plural
- oranges
- Third person singular
- oranges
- Past tense
- oranged
- Comparative
- oranger, more orange
- Superlative
- orangest, most orange
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She squeezed a fresh _____ for breakfast juice.
Etymology
From Old French pome orenge, ultimately traced through Arabic naranj and Persian back to Sanskrit naranga, "orange tree." The color sense only developed in English around the 1500s, after the fruit's name was already in use.
Class of 1500
orange joined the language around 1500.
See the full Class of 1500 →
Related words
Rhymes for orange
See all rhymes for orange →Frequently asked questions
What does “orange” mean?
The word “orange” means a round citrus fruit with a sweet-tart taste and a thick, textured peel that turns yellow-orange when ripe; also the tree it grows on. In plain terms, the citrus fruit, or the color named after it.
How do you pronounce “orange”?
“Orange” is pronounced O-rihnj (/ˈɔɹənd͡ʒ/ in IPA).
How do you use “orange” in a sentence?
Here is “orange” used in a sentence: “She squeezed a fresh orange for breakfast juice.”
What is another word for “orange”?
Words with a similar meaning to “orange” include amber, coral, ginger, gold, golden brown and topaz.
What part of speech is “orange”?
Depending on how it is used, “orange” can be a noun and an adjective.
Where does the word “orange” come from?
The word “orange” dates back to around 1500 and comes from Old French.
Is “orange” a common word?
“Orange” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “orange” have?
“Orange” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a round citrus fruit with a sweet-tart taste and a thick, textured peel that turns yellow-orange when ripe; also the tree it grows on.
What is the difference between an orange and a mandarin?
Both are citrus fruits, but a mandarin is smaller, flatter, sweeter, and much easier to peel, with segments that separate readily. A standard orange is larger, rounder, firmer, and often more tart, with a thicker peel. Tangerines and clementines are types of mandarin, not the same fruit as the common orange.
What are the types of oranges?
Common varieties include the navel, seedless and easy to peel; the Valencia, prized for juice; the blood orange, with deep-red flesh; and bitter or Seville oranges, used for marmalade. Oranges are broadly grouped into sweet and bitter kinds, with many cultivars bred for eating, juicing, or cooking.
Are oranges good for you?
Yes. Oranges are low in calories and rich in vitamin C, fibre, folate, and antioxidants, which support immunity and digestion. Eating the whole fruit provides more fibre than juice alone, which is higher in sugar. As with any food, they are healthiest as part of a varied, balanced diet.
Is orange a fruit or a colour?
Both, and the fruit came first. The word named the citrus fruit long before it named the colour; English speakers began using orange for the hue in the sixteenth century, borrowing it from the fruit's own colour. So the colour is named after the fruit, not the other way round.
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