tangerine

American  

[tan-juh-reen, tan-juh-reen] / ˌtæn dʒəˈrin, ˈtæn dʒəˌrin /

noun

1. Also called mandarin, mandarin orange.  any of several varieties of mandarin, cultivated widely, especially in the U.S.

2. deep orange; reddish orange.

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adjective

1. of the color tangerine; reddish-orange.

tangerine ¹ British  

/ ˌtændʒəˈriːn /

noun

1. a native of inhabitant of Tangier

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adjective

1. of or relating to Tangier or its inhabitants

tangerine ² British  

/ ˌtændʒəˈriːn /

noun

1. an Asian citrus tree, Citrus reticulata, cultivated for its small edible orange-like fruits

2. the fruit of this tree, having a loose rind and sweet spicy flesh

3. 1. a reddish-orange colour

   2. ( as adjective )

      a tangerine door

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Etymology

Origin of tangerine

Tang(i)er + -ine ¹

Compare meaning

How does tangerine compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• tangelo vs. tangerine

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.

Example Sentences

It comes across like a lower-fi version of such early punk groups as Suicide and Television with a digital sheen that suggests ’80s Tangerine Dream.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 3, 2026

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

East Carolina had the previous record, beating Maine 31-0 in 1965, when the game was known as the Tangerine Bowl.

From Washington Times • Jan. 1, 2024

This year, my "muse" is Italian citrus: Brand new 2023 entries include Lemon and Vanilla; Orange, Tangerine and Cardamom; and Sour Cherry, Lemon and Pistachio.

From Salon • Apr. 8, 2023

“C’mon, man. Don’t mess around with those guys. They’re from Tangerine Middle.”

From "Tangerine" by Edward Bloor