tangerine

noun tan·ger·ine \ ˈtan-jə-ˌrēn , ˌtan-jə-ˈrēn \

Updated on: 22 Apr 2018

Definition of tangerine

1 a : any of various mandarin oranges that have usually deep orange skin and pulp; broadly : mandarin 3b

b : a tree producing tangerines

2 : a moderate to strong reddish orange

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See tangerine defined for kids

tangerine was our Word of the Day on 02/23/2014. Hear the podcast!

Recent Examples of tangerine from the Web

The creamy orange shade used for the base looks exactly like an orange creamsicle milkshake — equal parts tangerine and vanilla ice cream.

— macaela mackenzie, Allure, "Becca Cosmetics Is Launching a Creamsicle-Inspired Highlighter for Summer," 11 Apr. 2018
In addition to the aforementioned soda floats, the drink list includes an Alien Sipper that can be filled with soda or the signature Mystic Portal Punch made of Powerade mountain berry blast with lemon-lime and tangerine flavorings.

— lauren delgado, OrlandoSentinel.com, "First look: Playful eats at Woody's Lunch Box at Disney's Toy Story Land," 9 Apr. 2018
There, Carrara stone floors meet black base boards, and a bench and mirror above, trimmed in a splashy shade of tangerine.

— jessica cumberbatch anderson, ELLE Decor, "House Tour: An Empty Nest In Toronto Pays Homage To Coco Chanel," 23 Mar. 2018
Citrus is king in this part of Florida, and the grapefruit, tangerines and oranges of all varieties grown in groves along the Indian River are world-renowned.

— jill o'connor, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Cookbook celebrates versatility of oranges," 26 Mar. 2018
There are dozens to choose from, like chocolate pudding flavor, strawberry, tangerine.

— Redbook, "16 Amazing Sex Tricks He Wants You to Know," 22 Jan. 2018
The metallic lemon and tangerine hues of Bentleys once seen idling in front of Café Pushkin have been tempered to tasteful burgundies and silvers.

— alex halberstadt, Town & Country, "The Surreal Thrill of Moscow Dining," 9 Oct. 2015
Scatter tangerines over asparagus and pour reserved juice on top.

— virginia willis, Country Living, "Steamed Asparagus with Tangerines," 11 Apr. 2011
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

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

Did You Know?

When tangerine was first used in the mid-19th century it was an adjective we'd borrowed from French to describe people or things from or relating to the Moroccan city of Tangier. (The French name for "Tangier" is Tanger.) Within about a hundred years the noun tangerine was being used to refer to the fruit we now know by that name. Although tangerines were at one time thought to be native to Morocco, they are now thought to be indigenous to southeast Asia. As our definition explains, tangerines are technically a kind of mandarin orange-and mandarin is another word we got from the French. The French mandarine is most likely originally from the Portuguese word mandarim, which etymologists believe is probably from the color of a Chinese mandarin's robes.

Origin and Etymology of tangerine

Tangerine (orange), from French Tanger Tangier, Morocco + English ¹-ine

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1842

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TANGERINE Defined for English Language Learners

tangerine

noun

Definition of tangerine for English Language Learners

: a small, sweet fruit that is like an orange with a loose skin which is easy to remove
: a deep orange-yellow color

TANGERINE Defined for Kids

tangerine

noun tan·ger·ine \ ˈtan-jə-ˌrēn \

Definition of tangerine for Students

: a Chinese orange with a loose skin and sweet pulp

Learn More about tangerine

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

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tangerine

Definition of tangerine

tangerine was our Word of the Day on 02/23/2014. Hear the podcast!

Recent Examples of tangerine from the Web

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Origin and Etymology of tangerine

TANGERINE Defined for English Language Learners

tangerine

Definition of tangerine for English Language Learners

TANGERINE Defined for Kids

tangerine

Definition of tangerine for Students

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Recent Examples of tangerine from the Web

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Origin and Etymology of tangerine

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