Kumquat means "golden orange" in Cantonese — and it is the only citrus fruit meant to be eaten peel and all, because the sweetest part is the rind.
A small, oval citrus fruit with a sweet edible rind and tart flesh, eaten whole, native to East Asia.
From Cantonese 金橘 (gam1 gwat1, golden orange), from 金 (gam1, gold, golden) + 橘 (gwat1, tangerine, citrus). The word entered English through contact with Chinese markets in the 19th century. Key roots: 金橘 (gam1 gwat1) (Cantonese: "golden orange").
Kumquat literally means "golden orange" in Cantonese — and it is the only citrus fruit typically eaten with its peel, which is actually the sweetest part. The bitter-sweet combination of sweet rind and tart flesh makes it unique among citrus fruits. The kumquat was introduced to Europe by Robert Fortune, the Scottish botanist famous