marmalade

The story

1. Ancient Greek · derived fromμελίμηλον
2. Latin · derived frommelimēlum“sweet apple”
3. Portuguese · derived frommarmelada“quince jam”
4. Middle French · borrowed frommarmelade
5. English todaymarmalade

Borrowed from Middle French marmelade, from Portuguese marmelada (“quince jam”), from marmelo (“quince”), from Latin melimēlum (“sweet apple”), from Ancient Greek μελίμηλον (melímēlon, from μέλι (méli, “honey”) + μῆλον (mêlon, “apple”)). A false folk etymology claims that this comes from the French phrase “Marie est malade” (“Mary is ill”), referring to Mary, Queen of Scots, falling ill and being given marmalade to feel better.

First known use, by meaning

• from late 15c. A kind of jam made with citrus fruit, distinguished by being made slightly bitter by the addition of the peel and by partial caramelisation during manufacture. Most commonly made with Seville oranges, and usually qualified by the name of the fruit when made with other types of fruit.