apricot

American  

[ap-ri-kot, ey-pri-] / ˈæp rɪˌkɒt, ˈeɪ prɪ- /

noun

1. the downy, yellow, sometimes rosy fruit, somewhat resembling a small peach, of the tree Prunus armeniaca.

2. the tree itself.

3. a pinkish yellow or yellowish pink.

4. Also called wild apricot.  Chiefly South Midland U.S. the maypop vine and its fruit; passionfruit.

---

apricot British  

/ ˈeɪprɪˌkɒt /

noun

1. a rosaceous tree, Prunus armeniaca, native to Africa and W Asia, but widely cultivated for its edible fruit

2. the downy yellow juicy edible fruit of this tree, which resembles a small peach

---

Etymology

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 ( peach ¹, precocious ); replacing earlier abrecock < Portuguese or Spanish; later p for Middle French b perhaps < Latin praecox

Example Sentences

Unassuming from the outside, the shop opens into a huge ark of mortar-crusted brick and ribcage-like beams, with long dining tables displaying shapely vases, pitchers, teacups and plates in shades of apricot, amber and malachite.

From The Wall Street Journal

She gave me like a date, you know, and like a dried apricot, so I ate that.

From Barron's

His mom had been feeding him, and it was strained apricots, one of his favorites.

From Literature

A dryad brought him bread made from walnuts and a bowl of crushed apricots stewed with honey.

From Literature

He wears an apricot bow tie which, by my estimation, makes him very approachable.

From Literature