orange

1 of 3

noun

or·​ange ˈär-inj How to pronounce orange (audio)
ˈär(-ə)nj;
chiefly Northern & Midland
ˈȯr-inj How to pronounce orange (audio)
ˈȯr(-ə)nj
1
a
: a globose berry with a yellowish to reddish-orange rind and a sweet edible pulp
He peeled an orange.
b
: any of various small evergreen citrus trees (genus Citrus) with glossy ovate leaves, hard yellow wood, fragrant white flowers, and fruits that are oranges
2
: any of several trees or fruits resembling the orange
3
: any of a group of colors that are between red and yellow in hue
Orange is about midway between red and yellow in hue.

orange

2 of 3

adjective (1)

1
: of or relating to the orange
2
: of the color orange

Orange

3 of 3

adjective (2)

: of, relating to, or sympathizing with Orangemen
Orangeism
ˈär-in-ˌji-zəm
ˈär(ə-)n-
ˈȯr-in- How to pronounce Orange (audio)
ˈȯr(ə-)n-
noun

Examples of orange in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The plumes of smoke and orange hues could be seen from the Icelandic capital, Reykjavik, according to photos. Annabelle Timsit, Washington Post, 17 Mar. 2024 The new treat is a mashup of an iconic orange creamsicle pop and the richness of a Frosty, per a release. Antonia Debianchi, Peoplemag, 13 Mar. 2024 The acclaimed American director, famous for films such as Do the Right Thing, BlacKkKlansman, and Inside Man, has been wearing a custom orange pair by Morgenthal Frederics. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 13 Mar. 2024 Gottlieb’s son Jordan shot baskets on the bare orange rim with the net around his neck. Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2024 Add the achiote seasoning, mix well until the mixture starts turning a light orange color, then splash in the Mexican lager. Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 9 Mar. 2024 In brown or rusty orange, a curly-tail grub becomes a crayfish when slowly hopped across the bottom. Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 7 Mar. 2024 Other posts show several deer inside the home, begging for food at the kitchen counter, and being hand fed human food like cheese and oranges. David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2024 After a months-long investigation, hundreds of people donning orange in memory of 16-year-old Lord gathered to hold a vigil in light of the six suspects arrested on suspicion of his beating death at an Oct. 28 Halloween party. Shawn Raymundo, The Arizona Republic, 7 Mar. 2024
Adjective
Dressed like an orange creamsicle and armed with a sunny disposition and an exhausting tenacity, Maxine catapults herself over the club’s back wall. Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 18 Mar. 2024 Swift's dancers flowed onto the stage through fog with pink, purple and orange parachute flaps. Bryan West, USA TODAY, 17 Mar. 2024 Rifkin, 84, stood in the center wearing a bright yellow jacket and an orange scarf, while Garner stood to the left with her arm on his shoulder. Staff Author, Peoplemag, 17 Mar. 2024 Most recently, King served as a presenter at the 96th Academy Awards on Sunday and wore an orange gown — a nod to her son’s favorite color. Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024 In short order, Polk County has come to have fewer orange groves along Interstate 4 and more subdivisions for local service workers as well as distribution warehouses for on-demand deliveries for residents in both metropolitan areas. Mike Schneider, Quartz, 14 Mar. 2024 The gray bunny wears an orange hat with a green pom-pom on top, resembling a carrot. Phoebe Sklansky, Parents, 13 Mar. 2024 Lee’s particular specs have clear lenses but bright frames in an orange hue that is one of the colors of his favorite team. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 13 Mar. 2024 Pushing the controller’s orange Backbone button while the One is connected to your phone will open up the Backbone app, which looks like an operating system. Quentyn Kennemer, The Verge, 4 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'orange.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Adjective (1)

Middle English, from Anglo-French orrange, araunge, from Old Occitan auranja, from Arabic nāranj, from Persian nārang, from Sanskrit nāraṅga orange tree

First Known Use

Noun

1532, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Adjective (1)

1542, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective (2)

1795, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of orange was in 1532

Dictionary Entries Near orange

Cite this Entry

“Orange.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/orange. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

orange

1 of 2 noun
or·​ange ˈär-inj How to pronounce orange (audio) ˈȯr- How to pronounce orange (audio)
-ənj
1
a
: a round usually sweet juicy fruit with a yellowish to reddish orange rind
b
: any of various small evergreen citrus trees having shiny leaves, fragrant white flowers, and fruits which are oranges
2
: a color between red and yellow

orange

2 of 2 adjective
1
: of or relating to the orange
2
: of the color orange

Medical Definition

orange

noun
or·​ange ˈär-inj How to pronounce orange (audio) ˈȯr- How to pronounce orange (audio)
1
a
: a globose berry with a yellowish to reddish orange rind and a sweet edible pulp
b
: any of various rather small evergreen trees (genus Citrus) with ovate leaves, hard yellow wood, fragrant white flowers, and fruits that are oranges
2
often capitalized : agent orange

Geographical Definition

Orange 1 of 2

geographical name (1)

Or·​ange ˈär-inj How to pronounce Orange (audio)
ˈär(-ə)nj,
ˈȯr-inj,
ˈȯr(-ə)nj
1
city in southwestern California north of Santa Ana population 136,416
2
river 1300 miles (2092 kilometers) long in southern Africa flowing from the Drakensberg Mountains in Lesotho west into the Atlantic Ocean

Orange

2 of 2

geographical name (2)

city in southeastern France north of Avignon population 29,135

More from Merriam-Webster on orange

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