Etymology
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marmalade (n.)

1530s, "preserve or confection of pulpy consistence made from quince," from French marmelade, from Portuguese marmelada "quince jelly, marmalade," from marmelo "quince," by dissimilation from Latin melimelum "sweet apple," originally "fruit of an apple tree grafted onto quince," from Greek melimelon, from meli "honey" (from PIE root *melit- "honey") + mēlon "apple" (see malic). Extended 17c. to any preserve or confection of pulpy consistence made from a citrus fruit. As a verb, "to spread with marmalade" by 1963. 

I marmaladed a slice of toast with something of a flourish, and I don't suppose I have ever come much closer to saying 'Tra-la-la' as I did the lathering. [P.G. Wodehouse, "Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves"]

Entries linking to marmalade

*melit- 

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "honey."

It forms all or part of: caramel; marmalade; Melissa; mellifluous; mildew; molasses; mousse.

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Greek meli, Latin mel "honey; sweetness;" Albanian mjal' "honey;" Old Irish mil "honey," Irish milis "sweet;" Old English mildeaw "nectar," milisc "honeyed, sweet;" Old High German milsken "to sweeten;" Gothic miliþ "honey."

malic (adj.)

"pertaining to apples, obtained from the juice of apples," 1790 (in malic acid, in a translation of Fourcroy), from French malique, from Latin mālum "apple" from Greek mēlon (Doric malon) "apple," which is probably from the Pre-Greek substrate language. The Latin and Greek words also meant "fruit" generally, especially if exotic. The acid, discovered 1785 by Swedish/German chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele, was obtained from unripe apples and other fruits. 

updated on September 30, 2022

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Dictionary entries near marmalade

marl

Marlborough

Marley

marlin

marlinspike

marmalade

marmoreal

marmoset

marmot

Maronite

maroon

© 2001-2023 Douglas Harper