Which orange came first – the color, or the fruit?
The color orange existed before the fruit. The word “orange” to describe the color has been in use since the 16th century, while the introduction of sweet oranges to Europe occurred much later, likely in the 15th century. Before the fruit was widely known in Europe, the color was referred to as “geoluhread” in Old English, which means yellow-red. So, the color “orange” predates the introduction of sweet oranges to Europe.
The word “orange” as a color name did come after the fruit. In English, the use of the word “orange” to describe the color is believed to have been derived from the name of the fruit. Before the introduction of sweet oranges to Europe, there wasn’t a specific word for the color we now call orange. People referred to similar colors as “yellow-red” or used other descriptive terms.
So, to clarify, the color name “orange” was named after the fruit, and it became a commonly accepted term for the color in the English language in the 16th century or later.
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