Mume
/ˈmuːmə/noun
A small Asian tree, Prunus mume, cultivated for its fragrant flowers and plum-like fruit.
Did you know?Although mume is often called a Japanese apricot, it is more closely associated botanically with plums; the English name ultimately reflects the Japanese form mume or ume.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Chinese
Old Chinese
梅
“The Chinese plum or flowering plum; reconstructed pronunciation is uncertain.”
Middle Chinese
Middle Chinese
梅 *muəi
“Plum or plum tree; the source of related East Asian plant names.”
Early Japanese
Japanese
mume
“An older Japanese form referring to the Japanese plum or its tree.”
Modern Japanese
Japanese
ume
“Japanese plum, Japanese apricot, or its blossom; the initial consonant cluster was simplified.”
19th Century
Botanical Latin
Prunus mume
“The scientific name assigned to the species commonly known as Japanese apricot.”
Modern English
English
mume
“A botanical and horticultural name for Prunus mume, especially in references to the tree or its flowers.”