Etymology
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apricot (n.)

roundish, orange-colored, plum-like fruit, 1550s, abrecock, from Catalan abercoc, related to Portuguese albricoque, from Arabic al-birquq, through Byzantine Greek berikokkia which is probably from Latin (mālum) 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]

Native to the Himalayas, it was introduced in England in 1524. The older Latin name for it was prunum Armeniacum or mālum Armeniacum, in reference to supposed origin in Armenia. As a color name, by 1906.

Entries linking to apricot

precocious (adj.)

1640s, "developed or ripe before the usual time," originally of plants, with -ous + Latin praecox (genitive praecocis) "maturing early," from prae "before" (see pre-) + coquere "to ripen," literally "to cook" (from PIE root *pekw- "to cook, ripen").

Originally of flowers or fruits. Figurative use, of persons, dates, etc., "characteristic of early maturity," by 1670s. Related: Precociously; precociousness. Obsolete princock "pert, forward, saucy boy or youth" (16c.-18c.) might be a rude, low slang folk-etymology alteration of Latin praecox.

*pekw- 

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to cook, ripen." 

It forms all or part of: apricot; biscuit; charcuterie; concoct; concoction; cook; cuisine; culinary; decoct; decoction; drupe; dyspepsia; dyspeptic; eupeptic; kiln; kitchen; peptic; peptide; peptone; precocious; pumpkin; ricotta; terra-cotta.

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit pakvah "cooked, ripe;" Avestan -paka- "cooked;" Greek peptein "to cook, ripen, digest," pepon "ripe;" Latin coquere "to cook, prepare food, ripen, digest, turn over in the mind," Oscan popina "kitchen;" Lithuanian kepti "to bake, roast;" Old Church Slavonic pecenu "roasted;" Welsh poeth "cooked, baked, hot."

updated on February 19, 2021

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Definitions of apricot from WordNet

apricot (n.)
Asian tree having clusters of usually white blossoms and edible fruit resembling the peach;
Synonyms: apricot tree
apricot (n.)
downy yellow to rosy-colored fruit resembling a small peach;
apricot (n.)
a shade of pink tinged with yellow;
Synonyms: yellowish pink / peach / salmon pink
From wordnet.princeton.edu, not affiliated with etymonline.

Dictionary entries near apricot

appurtenance

appurtenances

appurtenant

apraxia

apricate

apricot

April

April fool

apron

apropos

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© 2001-2022 Douglas Harper