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The Collaborative International Dictionary
Orange thorn

Orange \Or"ange\ ([o^]r"[e^]nj), n. [F.; cf. It. arancia, arancio, LL. arangia, Sp. naranjia, Pg. laranja; all fr. Ar. n[=a]ranj, Per. n[=a]ranj, n[=a]rang; cf. Skr. n[=a]ranga orange tree. The o- in F. orange is due to confusion with or gold, L. aurum, because the orange resembles gold in color.]

  1. The fruit of a tree of the genus Citrus ( Citrus Aurantium). It is usually round, and consists of pulpy carpels, commonly ten in number, inclosed in a leathery rind, which is easily separable, and is reddish yellow when ripe.

    Note: There are numerous varieties of oranges; as, the bitter orange, which is supposed to be the original stock; the navel orange, which has the rudiment of a second orange imbedded in the top of the fruit; the blood orange, with a reddish juice; and the horned orange, in which the carpels are partly separated.

  2. (Bot.) The tree that bears oranges; the orange tree.

  3. The color of an orange; reddish yellow.

    Mandarin orange. See Mandarin.

    Mock orange (Bot.), any species of shrubs of the genus Philadelphus, which have whitish and often fragrant blossoms.

    Native orange, or Orange thorn (Bot.), an Australian shrub ( Citriobatus parviflorus); also, its edible yellow berries.

    Orange bird (Zo["o]l.), a tanager of Jamaica ( Tanagra zena); -- so called from its bright orange breast.

    Orange cowry (Zo["o]l.), a large, handsome cowry ( Cypr[ae]a aurantia), highly valued by collectors of shells on account of its rarity.

    Orange grass (Bot.), an inconspicuous annual American plant ( Hypericum Sarothra), having minute, deep yellow flowers.

    Orange oil (Chem.), an oily, terpenelike substance obtained from orange rind, and distinct from neroli oil, which is obtained from the flowers.

    Orange pekoe, a kind of black tea.

    Orange pippin, an orange-colored apple with acid flavor.

    Quito orange, the orangelike fruit of a shrubby species of nightshade ( Solanum Quitoense), native in Quito.

    Orange scale (Zo["o]l.) any species of scale insects which infests orange trees; especially, the purple scale ( Mytilaspis citricola), the long scale ( Mytilaspis Gloveri), and the red scale ( Aspidiotus Aurantii).