mandarin
UK[ˈmændərɪn]US[ˈmændərɪn]
n
A high-ranking government official in imperial China.
n
The standard form of the Chinese language, based on the dialect of Beijing.
n
A small, loose-skinned citrus fruit.
Etymology
The word 'mandarin' began its journey in Sanskrit as 'mantrin', meaning a counselor or advisor. It traveled through Malay and was adopted by Portuguese traders in Asia to refer to Chinese officials. The term entered English in the 16th century, carrying the sense of a powerful bureaucrat. From this official meaning, it later extended to denote the language spoken by these officials (Standard Chinese) and, by a separate route, a type of citrus fruit, possibly because its color was associated with the robes of Chinese officials.
Analysis
This word is a loanword, borrowed into English from Portuguese 'mandarim', which in turn came from Malay 'məntəri' (meaning 'minister' or 'counselor'), and ultimately from Sanskrit 'mantrin' (meaning 'counselor', from 'mantra' meaning 'counsel').
Examples
The Qing dynasty mandarin was responsible for tax collection in his province.
She is taking evening classes to learn Mandarin.
He peeled a sweet and juicy mandarin for his snack.