loquat

Where does the word "loquat" come from? It comes from Cantonese lòuh gwāt, and was adopted directly into English (1800s).

Loquat’s story begins in Cantonese: lòuh gwāt meant “a small, sweet orange fruit.” Literally 'reed orange' or 'rush orange', an old name for the small orange fruit. It reached English by 1800s as loquat. Cantonese 'rush orange', from the fruit's colour. Today, loquat means a small, sweet-tart orange fruit borne by an evergreen tree originally native to China.

1. Stage 1 · Cantonese · ancient lòuh gwāt "a small, sweet orange fruit", literally 'reed orange' or 'rush orange', an old name for the small orange fruit.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1800s loquat "a small, sweet-tart yellow-orange fruit", Cantonese 'rush orange', from the fruit's colour.