kumquat

noun

kum·​quat ˈkəm-ˌkwät 

: 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 Citrus) of the rue family that bears kumquats

Examples of kumquat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Bar Manager Brandon Curry has developed a beverage program with classics like the Lana espresso martini and inventive combinations with fun names such as the Piper No!, a mix of vodka, kumquat, mango and lemon. —News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 June 2025

Photo: Lawrence De Leon For dessert, Reyes glided around the table, offering everyone a slice of vegan bibingka, a buoyant and delicately sweet rice cake, while bowls of jammy candied kumquats and homemade coconut ice cream circulated. —Laura Neilson, Vogue, 22 May 2025

Popular are refreshing raw bar treats, such as pink snapper carpaccio with kumquat sauce and chives; oyster crudo with lemongrass and pineapple mignonette. —Laura Manske, Forbes, 29 Sep. 2024

Unlike most fruity orange sauces, the Pickled Prince version isn’t sugar-forward — kumquats have the perfect mixture of sweet punch and pucker to complement the habanero. —Ahmed Ali Akbar, Chicago Tribune, 18 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1699, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

kumquat

noun

kum·​quat ˈkəm-ˌkwät 

1

: a small yellowish orange fruit related to the citruses with sweet spongy skin and somewhat tart pulp used especially for preserves

2

: a tree or shrub that bears kumquats