When tangerine was first used in the mid-19th century it was an adjective we'd borrowed from French to describe people or things from or relating to the Moroccan city of Tangier. (The French name for "Tangier" is Tanger.) Within about a hundred years the noun tangerine was being used to refer to the fruit we now know by that name. Although tangerines were at one time thought to be native to Morocco, they are now thought to be indigenous to southeast Asia. As our definition explains, tangerines are technically a kind of mandarin orange-and mandarin is another word we got from the French. The French mandarine is most likely originally from the Portuguese word mandarim, which etymologists believe is probably from the color of a Chinese mandarin's robes.
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the WebComplementary colors—like the tangerine and baby blue used here—sit across from each other on the wheel and will always pair well and bring a happy pop. Caitlin Sole, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Aug. 2022 Black Girl Magic Rosé is a light-hearted light pink wine from California with aromas of orange blossom, tangerine, and raspberry. Liz Thach, Forbes, 9 Aug. 2022 But the intensity of the tangy-sweet tropical harvest shines through in Frutero’s creamy tangerine, passion fruit and pineapple, to name a few. Florence Fabricant, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2022 Swap the tangerine for other winter citrus—like blood orange or clementine. People Staff, PEOPLE.com, 30 July 2022 The extra-plush cushion is available in 17 hues, like the lovely tangerine shown, as well as plenty of neutral go-tos such as black, navy, and beige. Rachel Klein, Popular Mechanics, 29 July 2022 Her bulbous sandals, produced from a single piece of leather, and cute stackable jewelry, all bear the mark of her hand: clever, quirky, and sensual in olive greens and bright tangerine. Steff Yotka, Vogue, 22 July 2022 Mineral in the nose with a bit of a floral aroma, followed by tangerine and lemon-lime flavors and then dryness on the finish.cleveland, 15 May 2022 Growing up, my tangerine-colored caboodle was filled with snap bracelets, Lancôme Juicy Tubes, and a hair gem bedazzler that my sisters and I stamped onto each other's hair strands for middle school dances and roller rink birthday parties. Talia Gutierrez, Allure, 11 July 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Tangerine (orange), from French Tanger Tangier, Morocco + English -ine entry 1