English
lemon drop
Lemon drop comes from Middle English lymon ‘lemon’, from Old French lymon ‘citrus’, and ultimately from Proto-Germanic *drupô ‘a drop (of liquid)’.
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*drupô‘a drop (of liquid)’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*dropō‘drop (of liquid)’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150dropa‘a drop’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500droppe‘small quantity of liquid’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400lymon‘citrus’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form‘lemon’
- Englishearliest quotation 1960lemon drop
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*drupô‘a drop (of liquid)’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*dropō‘drop (of liquid)’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150dropa‘a drop’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500droppe‘small quantity of liquid’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400lymon‘citrus’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form‘lemon’
- Englishearliest quotation 1960lemon drop
Earliest quotation: 1960, Harper Lee, Philadelphia: “Dill had hit upon a foolproof plan to make…”
The story
The word lemon Inherited from Middle English lymon, from Old French lymon (‘citrus’), and the word drop comes from Middle English droppe, Middle English drope (‘small quantity of liquid; small amount of something; speck’), from Old English dropa (‘a drop’).
Linked words
through Proto-Germanic *drupô ‘a drop (of liquid)’
Today it means
noun A yellow lemon-flavored and lemon-shaped candy.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Germanic *drupô / lemon drop