apricot

[ap-ri-kot, ey-pri-]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR apricot ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

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.

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. 2019

Related Words for apricot

cantaloupe, bittersweet, titian, peach, apricot, coral, salmon, carrot, tangerine

Examples from the Web for apricot

Contemporary Examples of apricot

When cool, remove from tin and brush cake with the apricot jelly.
Sweet Brits
Lydia Brownlow
April 4, 2011
A pluot is a hybrid of plum and apricot, dominated by plummy characteristics and lighter on the apricot.
The Secrets of Hybrid Fruit
Stacey Slate
January 22, 2010
Pour half of the syrupy liquid over the pandoro and apricot base.
Ham, Green Bean Casserole, Easy Trifle
The Daily Beast
December 23, 2008

Historical Examples of apricot

When it thickens, pour over the apricot and apples, and bake for half an hour.
The Skilful Cook
Mary Harrison
Put the butter about them in little pieces, and spread over the apricot jam.
The Skilful Cook
Mary Harrison
Raspberry, peach and apricot ice creams are made the same way.
Desserts and Salads
Gesine Lemcke
Peach, apricot and blackberry soufles are made the same way.
Desserts and Salads
Gesine Lemcke
Why do you suppose we put your apricot suit right in the front?
Once a Week
Alan Alexander Milne

British Dictionary definitions for apricot

apricot

noun

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

Word Origin for apricot

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

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.