Ackee
/ˈæk.i/noun
A tropical fruit, Blighia sapida, native to West Africa and widely cultivated in Jamaica and other tropical regions.
Did you know?Ackee’s scientific name honors Captain William Bligh, while its Jamaican name comes through West African languages, likely Akyem or Akan, reflecting the fruit’s journey across the Atlantic.
Etymological Timeline
Before 18th Century
Akan
ankye
“A name for the ackee fruit in Akan-speaking regions of West Africa.”
18th Century
English
akee
“An English rendering of the West African fruit name, used in accounts of the plant and its transport.”
1778
Latin
Blighia sapida
“The scientific name assigned by Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin; the genus honors William Bligh and sapida means “savory” or “tasty.””
18th–19th Century
Jamaican English
ackee
“The established Jamaican form for the introduced West African fruit.”
Modern English
English
ackee
“The fruit and tree widely associated with Jamaican cuisine, especially ackee and saltfish.”