Etymology : alteration of earlier abrecock, ultim. from Arabic al-birquq the apricot, ultimately from Latin praecox, literally, early ripening ; more at PRECOCIOUS
Pronunciation : 'a-pr&-"kät, 'A-
Function : noun
Date : 1551
1. type of fruit tree; fruit from this tree;orange yellowish color. apricot\a"pri*cot\, n. [oe. apricock, abricot, f. abricot, fr. sp. albaricoque or pg. albricoque, fr. ar. albirqūq, al-burqūq. though the e. and f. form abricot is derived from the arabic through the spanish, yet the arabic word itself was formed from the gr. praiko`kia, pl. (diosc. c. 100) fr. l. praecoquus, praecox, early ripe. the older e. form apricock was prob. taken direct from pg. see:
precocious, cook.] (bot.) a fruit allied to the plum, of an orange color, oval shape, and delicious taste; also, the tree (prunus armeniaca of linn?us) which bears this fruit. by cultivation it has been introduced throughout the temperate zone.apricot n.
2. asian tree having clusters of usually white blossoms and edible fruit resembling the peach [syn: apricot tree].
3. downy yellow to rosy-colored fruit resembling a small peach.
4. a shade of pink tinged with yellow [syn: yellowish pink, peach, salmon pink].
5. A fruit allied to the plum, of an orange color, oval shape, and delicious taste; also, the tree which bears this fruit.
6. By cultivation it has been introduced throughout the temperate zone. downy yellow to rosy-colored fruit resembling a small peach Asian tree having clusters of usually white blossoms and edible fruit resembling the peach.
7. 1. An apricot is a small, soft, round fruit with yellowish-orange flesh and a stone inside. 12 oz apricots, halved and stoned. apricot tart.
8. Apricot is used to describe things that are yellowish-orange in colour. The bridesmaids wore apricot and white organza. Fruit of the tree Prunus armeniaca, in the rose family, cultivated generally throughout the temperate regions of the world and used fresh, cooked in pastries, or preserved by canning or drying. Apricot trees are large and spreading, with heart-shaped, dark green leaves. Flowers are white. The fruit is nearly smooth and generally similar to the peach in shape but with little to no hairiness when ripe. Apricots are a good source of vitamin A and are high in natural sugars. Dried apricots are an excellent source of iron.