The word "orange" was first used to describe the fruit before it became the name for the color. Documented in English around the late 14th century, the term originated from the fruit and was influenced by Old French, Anglo-Norman, Spanish, Portuguese, Sanskrit, Persian, and Arabic. Many European languages reflect the fruit's origin from the southeast foothills of the Himalayas.
Before "orange" was introduced, Middle English speakers likely referred to the color as geolurēad, meaning yellow-red. Interestingly, vegetables like pumpkins and carrots, which are now associated with the color orange, were either unknown or not orange-colored in medieval Europe. This linguistic history highlights the evolution of language and color perception across cultures.