tangerine
Americannoun
-
Also called mandarin, mandarin orange. any of several varieties of mandarin, cultivated widely, especially in the U.S.
-
deep orange; reddish orange.
adjective
noun
adjective
noun
-
an Asian citrus tree, Citrus reticulata, cultivated for its small edible orange-like fruits
-
the fruit of this tree, having a loose rind and sweet spicy flesh
-
-
a reddish-orange colour
-
( as adjective )
a tangerine door
-
Etymology
Origin of tangerine
Compare meaning
How does tangerine compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A tangerine is a kind of citrus tree, and it's also the name of the fruit the tree produces. Tangerines are like little oranges. Delicious! Some people prefer tangerines to oranges, because they're small, they have thin, loose skin that's easy to peel, and they are often sweeter than oranges. In the 1840s, tangerines were called tangerine oranges, or "oranges from Tangier" by the British. They were originally imported from Tangier, Morocco, and are a variety of mandarin orange.
Vocabulary lists containing tangerine
English Food and Drink Words Derived from Arabic
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Orange
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Oscar-winning Anora director Sean Baker, who worked with Ransone on 2012's Starlet and 2015's Tangerine, wrote on Instagram: "I'll miss you dearly my friend."
From BBC • Dec. 22, 2025
Others have the expressive tenderness of a Tangerine Dream-scored fantasy like “Risky Business.”
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 8, 2025
But Tortoise has always had an equally prominent fondness for softer textures, especially those found in spacey acts from Germany such as Tangerine Dream and Cluster.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 28, 2025
TJ’s Tangerine Vanilla Sparkling Water is infused with natural Tangerine and Vanilla flavors, making it a healthy alternative to soft drinks.
From Salon • Jul. 30, 2025
“So why don’t you come to Tangerine with me?”
From "Tangerine" by Edward Bloor
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
