"Kalamata" - Word of the Day from the OED

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Kalamata, n.

DRAFT ENTRY June 2006

Brit. /kalmt/, U.S. /kælmd/  Forms: 18- Calamata, 19- Kalamata.Also with lower-case initial.  [< Kalamáta, the name of a Greek city on the southern coast of the Peloponnese, in the department of Messinia. Cf. modern Greek elia Kalamatas Kalamata olive.] 

    1. A type of currant from southern Greece. rare.

1871 Times 16 Oct. 7/2 For the moment there does not exist the very low description of provincial fruit which was then on the marketsuch, for instance, as low Calamata... Good dry Pyrgos..is now as cheap as any sort of currant. 1917 F. CRISSEY Story of Foods 354 This is the ‘dried currant’ of Greece of which the shade-dried Vostizza is the finest type, with the Patras ranking second. Next..come the Provincials from the west coast and the Calamatas from the southern tip of the country.

    2. In full Kalamata olive. The fruit of an olive cultivar traditionally grown around the Greek city of Kalamata, having a large size and elongated shape, a purplish-black colour when cured, smooth skin, and a sharp, fruity taste; (also) the tree bearing this fruit.

1932 Washington Post 26 Nov. 9/4 The best of ripe olives, the salty Calamata olives at only 30 cents a pound. 1955 Times 26 Mar. 1/5 (advt.) Do you like Kalamata olives? 1978 N.Y. Times 19 May C23 Mr. Kassos..cures his own olives (the brown Kalamatas and small, fresh, green Agrinions being my favorites). 1996 Courier Mail (Queensland) (Nexis) 11 Sept. 48 Their company is.expanding their plantings of kalamatas. 2003 J. MURRAY Jazz etc. xii. 238 Plump exquisite Kalamata olives shall we say?

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