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Being non-native English speaker, I (and people around me) have always used word 'orange' for all the fruits in orange family (except for grapefruit only). But it must not be the case for sure, there must be other names for each.

Can someone help me with this vocab?

(forgive me for my ignorance, I am new to this site)

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    One of the best ways to do this is to walk around an English grocery store and just see what all the fruits are labeled. Then when you buy a tangerine, you'll associate the word with the physical object in context.
    – user230
    Jul 28, 2014 at 7:26
  • You could also have a look at an online supermarket, for example here: mysupermarket.co.uk/shelves/Fruit_in_Tesco.html and then if something is unclear, ask about individual items.
    – fluffy
    Jul 28, 2014 at 8:05
  • In India, 'clementine' is 'orange' and is the only orange fruit! :) So, if you live nearby India or live in India, 'clementine' is the term.
    – Maulik V
    Jul 28, 2014 at 8:34
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    it's too difficult to make a difference. Check this though it might not help greatly. huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/10/orange-varieties_n_1190194.html
    – Maulik V
    Jul 28, 2014 at 8:39

2 Answers 2

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There are two major varieties of oranges: Navels and Valencias.

Other renowned types are: Moro (Blood) Oranges and Cara Cara Oranges.

Although there are so many other types whcih can be found here

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  • How naive I was for not checking wikipedia, Thanks! Jul 30, 2014 at 19:21
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Orange is the general word. There are Navel Oranges, Valencia Oranges, Mandarin Oranges, etc.

It is like dog. A four-legged member of the canine family is a dog (assuming domesticated). There are in fact Sheep dogs, Huskies, Retrievers, Daschund, Pugs, etc.

So orange is the general term, and a descriptor is added when defining what 'type' of orange. Assuming that matters in a particular context.

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    It's true that it's a general term, but the OP talked about "the orange family" and gave the example of grapefruit, which is not a type of orange. So in context, I think they mean to include many fruits which are related to oranges but not actually oranges themselves―perhaps they mean roughly "citrus fruits"? That's why I used tangerines as an example.
    – user230
    Jul 28, 2014 at 18:22
  • Good point. I think that thinking of the "Orange Family" from a botanical perspective is digging a little too deep here. Using my dog example, most dogs don't have 'dog' in the name. Even Sheep Dog or Hound Dog are general terms; There are Basset Hounds and Blood Hounds. For everyday usage, Orange means a baseball to softball size citrus fruit with a sweeter taste and mostly orange rind. I know Naranja is Spanish for both the color and the fruit. If I use it for a Tangerine, I am sure they will get my meaning and inform me of the specifc word for that during conversation.
    – JSM
    Jul 28, 2014 at 18:52
  • Another thing to consider is onions. There are white onions, yellow onions, green onions, Vidalia and Walla Walla sweet onions. While Garlic, Shallots, Leeks, and Chives (maybe?) are in the Onion Family, they are not in themselves refered to as 'onions'. When speaking of an onion, it is understood that it is one of the varieties I listed previously. I think that it is a matter of learning what that general term applies to in common usage.
    – JSM
    Jul 28, 2014 at 18:57

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