citronn.adj.

Etymology: < Middle French, French citron citron, lemon, lime (13th cent. in Old French; the precise fruit intended is often difficult to determine in early use; 1680 denoting a yellowish colour), probably an alteration (after limon lemon n.¹) of citre citron fruit (second half of the 13th cent. in Old French), citron tree (1314; French citre , now only denoting the African citrus tree) < classical Latin citrum wood of the (African) citrus tree (see note), in post-classical Latin also citron (5th cent.) < classical Latin citrus (African) citrus tree (see citrus n.). Compare classical Latin citreum citron, use as noun (short for mālum citreum ) of neuter of citreus (see citreous adj.). Hellenistic Greek κίτρον citron probably shows a loan from Latin. Compare Spanish citrón (1541 in an apparently isolated attestation, subsequently from 20th cent.), Italian †citrone (1550). The French word was also borrowed into other Germanic languages, in some cases via Italian; compare Middle Dutch zyderoen (Dutch citroen), Middle Low German citerōne, German Citrone, (now usually) Zitrone (second half of the 15th cent. as zitronij, plural), Swedish citron (late 16th cent.), early modern Danish sitron, sitrone (Danish citron).On the transfer in meaning of classical Latin citrus (originally denoting an African tree with scented wood: compare sense A. 3) to the citron see discussion at citrus n. In the Middle Ages the French word was applied to the lime (i.e. the citrus fruit), brought to Europe by the Arabs. In modern French the citron is called cédrat cedrat n., while the lemon is called citron and limon lemon n.¹ With the form cittern compare discussion at pattern n.