manzanilla

Manzanilla entered English directly from Spanish, where it is the diminutive of 'manzana' (apple). The name was originally applied to the chamomile plant, likely because the scent of its flowers was thought to resemble that of apples. This botanical term was then transferred to other small, round objects. The olive variety earned the name due to its small, apple-like shape, while the sherry from Sanlúcar acquired the name 'manzanilla' either from the local chamomile plants or, more probably, by analogy with the light, delicate character of the wine, perceived as "small" or "light" compared to other sherries. Thus, the core concept of "little apple" evolved metaphorically to describe a plant, a fruit, and finally a distinctive style of wine.

This word is a direct loanword from Spanish. It is not productively segmented using English morphemes. In its source language, it is a diminutive form of 'manzana' (apple), literally meaning "little apple".