apricot
[ap-ri-kot, ey-pri-]
- the downy, yellow, sometimes rosy fruit, somewhat resembling a small peach, of the tree Prunus armeniaca.
- the tree itself.
- a pinkish yellow or yellowish pink.
- Also called wild apricot. Chiefly South Midland U.S. the maypop vine and its fruit; passionfruit.
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Origin of apricot
1545–55; < Middle French abricot < Portuguese albricoque or Spanish albar(i)coque < Arabic al the + barqūq < Medieval Greek < Late Latin praecocquum, for Latin (persicum) praecox literally, early-ripening peach, perhaps referring to the apricot (see peach1, precocious); replacing earlier abrecock < Portuguese or Spanish; later p for Middle French b perhaps < Latin praecox
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for apricot
Contemporary Examples
When cool, remove from tin and brush cake with the apricot jelly.
A pluot is a hybrid of plum and apricot, dominated by plummy characteristics and lighter on the apricot.
Pour half of the syrupy liquid over the pandoro and apricot base.
Historical Examples
When it thickens, pour over the apricot and apples, and bake for half an hour.
The Skilful CookMary Harrison
Put the butter about them in little pieces, and spread over the apricot jam.
The Skilful CookMary Harrison
Raspberry, peach and apricot ice creams are made the same way.
Desserts and SaladsGesine Lemcke
Peach, apricot and blackberry soufles are made the same way.
Desserts and SaladsGesine Lemcke
Why do you suppose we put your apricot suit right in the front?
Once a WeekAlan Alexander Milne
apricot
- a rosaceous tree, Prunus armeniaca, native to Africa and W Asia, but widely cultivated for its edible fruit
- the downy yellow juicy edible fruit of this tree, which resembles a small peach
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Word Origin
C16: earlier apricock, from Portuguese (albricoque) or Spanish, from Arabic al-birqūq the apricot, from Late Greek praikokion, from Latin praecox early-ripening; see precocious
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for apricot
n.
1550s, abrecock, from Catalan abercoc, related to Portuguese albricoque, from Arabic al-birquq, through Byzantine Greek berikokkia from Latin (malum) praecoquum "early-ripening (fruit)" (see precocious). Form assimilated to French abricot.
Latin praecoquis early-ripe, can probably be attributed to the fact that the fruit was considered a variety of peach that ripened sooner than other peaches .... [Barnhart]
The older Latin name for it was prunum Armeniacum or malum Armeniacum, in reference to supposed origin in Armenia. As a color name, first attested 1906.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper