What does "orange" mean?

1. (the fruit) a round, sweet fruit with a thick skin that you peel off. 2. (the colour) the colour that is a mix of red and yellow. 3. (colour description) having the colour of an orange fruit. 4. (the drink) a drink made from or tasting like oranges. 5. (the tree) the type of evergreen tree that grows oranges. 6. (political/religious group) relating to the Orange Order, a group in Northern Ireland.

orange — meaning, definition & examples

Word

01the fruit

A1 · Beginner Countable noun

n. a round, sweet fruit with a thick skin that you peel off.

n. a globose citrus fruit with a leathery, oily rind and sweet, acidic juice.

“She peeled an orange and shared the segments with her friends.”

“The export of fresh oranges remains a vital component of the Mediterranean agricultural economy during the winter months.”

Synonyms

citrus

02the colour

A1 · Beginner Uncountable noun

n. the colour that is a mix of red and yellow.

n. the secondary colour located between red and yellow in the visible spectrum.

“The sky turned a beautiful shade of orange as the sun went down.”

“The artist used a vibrant orange to highlight the contrast between the foreground figures and the deep blue background.”

Synonyms

amber apricot

03colour description

A1 · Beginner

adj. having the colour of an orange fruit.

adj. possessing a hue between red and yellow.

“He wore a bright orange shirt so his teammates could see him easily.”

“The autumn leaves turned a brilliant orange before falling to the forest floor.”

Synonyms

reddish-yellow

04the drink

A2 · Elementary Uncountable noun British English

n. a drink made from or tasting like oranges.

n. a beverage, typically carbonated or a juice blend, flavoured with orange.

“Would you like a glass of orange with your breakfast?”

“The waiter served a chilled orange alongside the sparkling water as requested by the guests.”

Synonyms

orange juiceorange squash

05the tree

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun

n. the type of evergreen tree that grows oranges.

n. any of several small evergreen trees of the genus Citrus that bear oranges.

“The garden was filled with the sweet smell of blossoms from the orange trees.”

“Commercial growers must protect the orange trees from frost to ensure a successful harvest the following season.”

06political/religious group

C1 · Advanced British English · Dialect

adj. relating to the Orange Order, a group in Northern Ireland.

adj. pertaining to the Orange Order, a Protestant fraternal organisation, or its political views.

“The city prepared for the traditional Orange marches in July.”

“The historian discussed the complex legacy of Orange traditions within the context of Northern Irish sectarian identity.”

Uncountable when referring to the color or the flavor in general; countable when referring to the individual fruits.

Some senses from French Orange, from Latin Arausiō, from Gaulish. Other senses from the common noun orange, ultimately from Sanskrit नारङ्ग (nāraṅga, “orange tree”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.