Akye
/ˈæk.i/noun
A variant spelling of ackee, the edible fruit of the tropical tree Blighia sapida.
Did you know?The ackee tree was introduced to Jamaica from West Africa in the eighteenth century, and its scientific name honors Captain William Bligh of the Bounty.
Etymological Timeline
Precolonial period
Akan
akye
“The name for the ackee fruit or tree in Akan languages of West Africa.”
18th Century
English
ackee
“An English rendering of Akan akye, referring to the introduced West African fruit.”
18th Century
Jamaican English
ackee
“The cultivated fruit that became an important food in Jamaica.”
1806
Latin
Blighia sapida
“The botanical name assigned to the species; Blighia honors William Bligh.”
Modern English
English
akye
“A documented variant spelling of ackee.”