Apricot is a light

yellowish Varieties of the color yellow may differ in hue, chroma (also called saturation, intensity, or colorfulness) or lightness (or value, tone, or brightness), or in two or three of these qualities. Variations in value are also called tints and sha ...

- orangish color that is similar to the color of

apricot An apricot (, ) is a fruit, or the tree that bears the fruit, of several species in the genus ''Prunus''. Usually, an apricot is from the species '' P. armeniaca'', but the fruits of the other species in ''Prunus'' sect. ''Armeniaca'' are also ...

s. However, it is paler than actual apricots.

Etymology

The etymology of the color apricot (and the fruit): the word comes from the

Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...

''Al-birquq'' (itself from Greek ''berikokon'', ultimately from Latin ''praecoquum''). ''Apricot'' has been in use as a color name since 1851.

Variations of apricot

Light apricot

Displayed at right is the light tone of apricot called ''apricot'' since 1958 in

Crayola Crayola LLC, formerly the Binney & Smith Company, is an American manufacturing company specializing in art supplies. It is known for its brand ''Crayola'' and best known for its crayons. The company is headquartered in Forks Township, Pennsylvan ...

crayons.

Mellow apricot

Displayed at right is the color ''mellow apricot''. This is one of the colors on the

British Standards British Standards (BS) are the standards produced by the BSI Group which is incorporated under a royal charter and which is formally designated as the Standards organization#National standards bodies, national standards body (NSB) for the UK. The ...

5252 color list. This color is #06E50 on the 5252 color list. The 5252 color list is for colors used in color coordination and in building construction. The British Standard color lists were first formulated in 1930 and reached their present form in 1955.

Apricot in human culture

;Sexuality * In the

bandana code The handkerchief code (also known as the hanky code, the bandana code, and flagging) is a system of color-coded cloth handkerchief or bandanas for non-verbally communicating one's interests in sexual activities and fetishes. The color of the han ...

of the

gay ''Gay'' is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. The term originally meant 'carefree', 'cheerful', or 'bright and showy'. While scant usage referring to male homosexuality dates to the late 1 ...

leather subculture Leather subculture denotes practices and styles of dress organized around sexual activities that involve leather garments, such as leather jackets, vests, boots, chaps, harnesses, or other items. Wearing leather garments is one way that pa ...

, wearing an apricot

bandana A kerchief (from the Old French ''couvrechief'', "cover head"), also known as a bandana, bandanna, or "Wild Rag" (in cowboy culture), is a triangular or square piece of cloth tied around the head, face or neck for protective or decorative purpos ...

means that one is a chubby chaser if worn on the right, and a chub if worn on the left.Hankycode on leathernjonline.com
access date 2010-03-30

References