lemon-lime
UK[ˌlem.ən ˈlaɪm]US[ˌlem.ən ˈlaɪm]
adj
Having a flavor that combines lemon and lime, or being a color that is a mixture of yellow and green.
n
A beverage, especially a soft drink, flavored with both lemon and lime.
Morpheme Breakdown
lemon
lime
lemon
fruit
lime
fruit
Etymology
The compound 'lemon-lime' is a modern English formation that directly combines the names of two closely related citrus fruits. Both 'lemon' and 'lime' share a remarkable etymological journey, tracing back through Persian 'līmū', into Arabic, and subsequently into various European languages. The logic of the compound is transparently descriptive, used primarily in the 20th century to denote flavors or colors that are a hybrid of the two distinct but conceptually linked fruits. It exemplifies how English creates precise descriptors by joining two simple, familiar nouns.
Analysis
Structure: lemon (fruit) + lime (fruit)
lemon: From Old French 'limon' (citrus fruit), from Arabic 'laymūn', from Persian 'līmū'. Functions as a noun root denoting the specific citrus fruit.
lime: From French 'lime', from Spanish 'lima', from Arabic 'līma', from Persian 'līmū'. Functions as a noun root denoting the specific citrus fruit.
Examples
The new soda has a refreshing lemon-lime taste.
She painted the kitchen walls a bright lemon-lime.
Many sports drinks are marketed as lemon-lime flavored.