kumquat

noun kum·quat \ ˈkəm-ˌkwät \

Updated on: 29 Mar 2018

Definition of kumquat

: any of several small yellow to orange citrus fruits with sweet spongy rind and somewhat acid pulp that are used chiefly for preserves; also : a tree or shrub (genus Fortunella) of the rue family that bears kumquats

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Recent Examples of kumquat from the Web

Think tangerine and kumquat tart with almond baci crust, rose cream, and orange sherbet, or butterscotch sabayon with chocolate pepper cake, poached white figs, and sesame gelato.

— devra first, BostonGlobe.com, "10 women pastry chefs you should know in the Boston area," 22 Mar. 2018
The mahogany-colored ham was surrounded by greens accented with twirls of dehydrated orange rind — not something found in every home kitchen, but kumquats would work just as well.

— anne schamberg, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Not a peep of stress: A foolishly simple menu for an April 1 Easter," 20 Mar. 2018
Transfer to a medium bowl and add kumquats, if using, lemon juice, orange-flower water, and salt.

— andy baraghani, Bon Appetit, "Citrus and Avocado Salad with Orange Water," 19 Mar. 2018
The kitchen produces one of the best salads with winter citrus ($15), with slices and chunks of cara cara, kumquat, oro blanco and mandarin, plus colorful leaves of radicchio.

— michael bauer, San Francisco Chronicle, "Among top San Francisco destination restaurants, the Progress is better than ever," 14 Mar. 2018
Sokol Blosser 2014 Sparkling Rosé of Pinot Noir (Eola–Amity Hills, Oregon; $50) A pale salmon color belies vibrant red fruit—strawberry and raspberry—kumquat brightness, and wet-stone minerality, with a lovely silky texture.

— Sunset, "The Best Sparkling Wines to Sip Now," 22 Jan. 2018
Garnish with kumquat slices, if using, and toasted walnuts.

— debbie arrington, sacbee, "California citrus: Short crop long on flavor," 6 Feb. 2018
The kumquats in the quinoa tabbouleh gave the entire thing a seriously tangy punch.

— julie mazziotta, PEOPLE.com, "I Ate Like Tom Brady and (Surprisingly) Liked It: All About His TB12 Subscription Meal Kit," 4 Feb. 2018
Winter because that is the season for citrus: pixie tangerines, meyer lemons, kumquats, etc.

— taylor antrim, Vogue, "Bored With Winter Cooking? Time to Pickle (and Preserve)!," 27 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'kumquat.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of kumquat

Chinese (Guangdong) gām-gwāt, from gām gold + gwāt citrus fruit

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First Known Use: 1699

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KUMQUAT Defined for English Language Learners

kumquat

noun

Definition of kumquat for English Language Learners

: a fruit that looks like a small orange

KUMQUAT Defined for Kids

kumquat

noun kum·quat \ ˈkəm-ˌkwät \

Definition of kumquat for Students

: a small citrus fruit that has a sweet rind and sour pulp and is used mostly in preserves

Learn More about kumquat

See words that rhyme with kumquat Spanish Central: Translation of kumquat Nglish: Translation of kumquat for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about kumquat

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Definition of kumquat

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