This is the second day of our theme week on Word Origins. Have you ever wondered which came first, the color orange or the fruit? Well it turns out the color was named after the fruit! The word itself comes from a south Indian language, but passed through numerous other languages like Sanskrit and Old French, before reaching the English language. Before the 15th century, when orange trees were brought to Europe, the color was just referred to as yellow-red. The first known recorded use of “orange” as a color was in 1512, in a description of clothing purchased for Margaret Tudor. Orange is one of the few words that nothing rhymes with. It’s the color that’s most easily seen in dim light or against water, which is why things like life jackets, construction signs, and astronaut suits are orange. And if you’ve ever wondered why oranges are always sold in red mesh bags, there’s a very good reason! It’s a clever marketing tactic – the color red makes oranges look more orange! So when you see a bunch of oranges with red mesh, they look fresher and higher quality than if you saw them just on their own. Learn more here.
