Adam's apple
noun
Forms Adam's apples
- noun (anatomy) The lump in the throat, usually more noticeable in men than in women; the laryngeal prominence.
- noun Any member of the species Tabernaemontana divaricata of fragrant houseplants, native to southeast Asia.
- noun Any of hybrid species Musa × paradisiaca, of cultivated bananas.
- noun A citron (Citrus limetta, syn. of Citrus medica).
Synonyms
Adam's morsel apple apple of Adam laryngeal prominence goozle crape jasmine pinwheel flower Nero's crown butterfly gardenia carnation of India East Indian rosebay Tabernaemontana coronaria coffee rose crepe gardenia crepe jasmine Tabernaemontana divaricate thyroid cartilage
Etymology
Calque of Latin pomum Adami, which is found in the botanical sense from 1560 and the anatomical sense from 1600. According to the earliest sources, the anatomical usage derives from a common belief that Adam was punished by God for the fall of man by having a piece of the forbidden fruit lodged in his throat (see 1662 citation).
Webster’s 1913
- See under Adam.
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “Adam's apple”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details