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kumquat

a small citrus fruit with an edible sweet peel

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Where does the word "kumquat" come from? It comes from Cantonese gam gwat, and was adopted directly into English (1600s).

Read the full story

Where does the word "kumquat" come from? It comes from Cantonese gam gwat, and was adopted directly into English (1600s).

Kumquat’s story begins in Cantonese: gam gwat meant “golden orange.” Literally golden orange, describing the small citrus fruit. It reached English by 1600s as kumquat. Cantonese 'golden orange'; Robert Fortune brought kumquat plants from China to Europe in 1846. Today, kumquat means a small citrus fruit with an edible sweet peel.

  1. Stage 1 · Cantonese · medieval gam gwat "golden orange", literally golden orange, describing the small citrus fruit.
  2. Stage 2 · English · 1600s kumquat "a small citrus fruit eaten with its peel", Cantonese 'golden orange'; Robert Fortune brought kumquat plants from China to Europe in 1846.

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