kumquat

American  

[kuhm-kwot] / ˈkʌm kwɒt /

Sometimes cumquat

noun

kumquats plural

1. a small, round or oblong citrus fruit having a sweet rind and acid pulp, used chiefly for preserves.

2. any of several citrus shrubs of the genus Fortunella, native to China, that bear this fruit.

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kumquat British  

/ ˈkʌmkwɒt /

noun

1. any of several small Chinese trees of the rutaceous genus Fortunella

2. the small round orange fruit of such a tree, with a sweet rind, used in preserves and confections

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• kumquats
  plural

Etymology

Origin of kumquat

First recorded in 1865–70; from dialectal Chinese (Guangdong) gāmgwāt “gold citrus fruit,” akin to Chinese jīnjù

Explanation

A kumquat is a very small, sour citrus fruit. Kumquats look like tiny oranges — and you eat them whole, skin and all. Kumquats are often used to make jam or cooked with sugar to counter their acidic flavor. If you're a fan of sour candy, you might love the taste of a fresh kumquat, and the sensation of biting through its sweet rind to a sour burst of juice at the center. Kumquats originated in China, and their name comes from the Cantonese kamkwat, from kam, "golden," and kwat, "orange."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

kumquat kumquats

Coffee and fruit is a popular pairing among Vietnam’s younger drinkers, including those inside Blackbird’s Old Quarter location, where teens and 20-somethings sip espresso drinks spiked with banana, mango, pomegranate, kumquat, sugar cane and more.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 17, 2026

Holding on to his two wooden planks, he sits among kumquat and lime trees.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2024

I love the ingredients in your pink mole, from the tahini to the fennel, kumquat and pine nuts; how did you come up with the idea?

From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2023

“I’ve noticed a lot of new citrus flavors beyond lemon, orange and lime, like calamansi, kumquat and mandarin,” she says.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 13, 2023

“Yes. Your grandpa loved ice cream. He always said no one ever matched his vanilla kumquat recipe, which just goes to show that wooden shoe trees don’t help a bit when it’s time to vote.”

From "Lawn Boy Returns" by Gary Paulsen

The citrus trees at C&S Nursery in Baldwin Hills would normally be full of passionfruit, kumquats and other fruits this time of year.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2023

Tart citrus fruits vary from olive-sized kumquats to four-pound pomelos.

From Scientific American ● Oct. 11, 2023

Tangy yogurt, sliced kumquats and a sprinkling of savory pistachio granola provide plenty of lift to the arrangement.

From Washington Post ● Feb. 17, 2023

Blood oranges, clementines, finger limes, Meyer lemons, kumquats, pomelos, tangelos, tangerines and yuzus all deserve their moment in the sun.

From Salon ● Jan. 11, 2023

The fruits were beautiful inside the windows—bananas, oranges, alligator pears, bright little kumquats, and even a few pineapples.

From "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers