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Why is it called pineapple when there is neither pine nor apple in it?

Question #36666. Asked by puzzlerguy.
Last updated Jan 31 2018.

gmackematix
Answer has 7 votes
gmackematix
21 year member
3194 replies

Answer has 7 votes.
I suppose just like grapefruit hang in groups giving them a grape-like appearance, pineapples have a vaguely pine-coney appearance. Apple is just a generic term so tomatoes are love apples, oak trees have oak-apples and these are pineapples.

Something similar happens with pigs. So aardvark means "earth pig", porpoise means "fish pig" and of course there's guinea pigs.

Jul 27 2003, 1:13 AM
elizabethmc
Answer has 12 votes
Currently Best Answer
elizabethmc
21 year member
346 replies

Answer has 12 votes.

Currently voted the best answer.
'The Spanish explorers thought pineapple looked like a pine cone, so they called it "Pina." The English added "apple" to associate it with juicy delectable fruits.' link http://spinely.iwarp.com/PINEAPPLE.HTML

Jul 27 2003, 10:03 AM
KabTom
Answer has 3 votes
KabTom

Answer has 3 votes.
Pineapple got the name for 2 main reasons:
1. The similarity to pine cones.
2. The word apple meaning fruit.

In many other languages it is call Ananas.
The name pineapple is not the common name of the fruit. In many other language the fruit is called "Ananas", a name derived from the botanical name 'Ananas comosus'.

link https://www.webquestions.co/questions/how-did-the-pineapple-get-its-name

Jan 31 2018, 8:22 AM
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