Lime Names a Fruit, a Mineral and a Tree
A lime is a green citrus fruit. Two unrelated limes are a caustic mineral and a European tree.
A lime is a small green citrus fruit, a caustic mineral used in building, and a European tree also called linden. Three unrelated words. The fruit is Arabic *limah*; the mineral is Old English *lim*, meaning a sticky substance, and gives *limelight* and *limestone*; the tree is an altered form of *lind*. *Limey* for a British person comes from the Royal Navy's issue of citrus juice against scurvy, a practice made compulsory in 1795.
- A citrus fruit. *Lime juice.*
- A caustic mineral. *Quicklime.*
- A linden tree. *A lime tree.*
- Limelight. *In the limelight.*
- Arabic — *limah*. *The fruit.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | lime | A lime. |
| Plural | limes | Limes. |
| Compound | limestone | Limestone. |
| Compound | limelight | Limelight. |
| Related | limey | A limey. |
- Squeeze lime over it.Fruit.
- Quicklime burns the skin.Mineral.
- A lime tree in the avenue.Tree.
What limelight actually was
- A block of quicklime heated by a flame
- It glows brilliantly white without melting
- Theatres used it from the 1830s for stage lighting
- Being in the limelight meant being lit as the focus
- Electric arc lamps replaced it by the end of the century
The fruit is Arabic *limah* through Spanish. The mineral is Old English *lim*. The tree is an altered form of *lind*.
What was limelight?
A block of quicklime heated until it glowed brilliantly white, used for theatre lighting from the 1830s.
Why are the British called limeys?
From the Royal Navy's issue of citrus juice to prevent scurvy, made compulsory in 1795.