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"apple" in seven languages

Meaningapple

Spanish

manzana

/manˈθana/

fem.other source · Latin (MĀLA) MATTIĀNA, an apple variety named after one Matius

French

pomme

/pɔm/

fem.other source · Latin PŌMA, plural of PŌMUM 'fruit'

Italian

mela

/ˈmela/

fem.inherited

Portuguese

maçã

/maˈsɐ̃/

fem.other source · Latin (MĀLA) MATTIĀNA, an apple variety named after one Matius

Romanian

măr

/mər/

masc.inherited

plural: mere

Intervocalic -l- became -r-: MĒLUM → măr; măr also means the apple tree.

Catalan

poma

/ˈpomə/

fem.other source · Latin PŌMA, plural of PŌMUM 'fruit'

English

apple

/ˈæpəl/

native English · Old English æppel

English → ItalianapplemelaNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: pomegranate, pomade (POMUM).What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

MĀLUM (Greek-influenced MĒLUM)‘apple’

All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.

The story

Three unrelated words: Italian keeps the Latin apple, French generalised 'fruit', and Spanish kept the name of a once-famous variety, the Matian apple.

English relatives: pomegranate, pomade (POMUM)

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In a sentence

  • esUna manzana al día.
  • frUne pomme par jour.
  • itUna mela al giorno.
  • ptUma maçã por dia.
  • roUn măr pe zi.
  • caUna poma al dia.
  • enAn apple a day.

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