citrange
citrange Lexical Profile
citrange Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A hybrid citrus fruit produced by crossing the sweet orange with the cold-hardy trifoliate orange, typically having a sour or bitter taste and often used for making marmalades.
"Although too bitter to be eaten fresh like a standard orange, the citrange makes an excellent, tart marmalade."
The cold-hardy citrus tree that bears the citrange fruit, highly valued in agriculture as a robust rootstock for grafting more delicate commercial citrus varieties.
"Many farmers graft lemon and lime scions onto a citrange base to protect their orchards against frost and certain soil-borne diseases."
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined around 1904 as a portmanteau of 'citrus' and 'orange'. The hybrid was originally developed by the United States Department of Agriculture in an effort to create a more cold-resistant citrus fruit.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.