Hello, I'm a linguistics expert with a deep interest in etymology—the study of the history of words and the way their meanings have evolved over time. It's fascinating to delve into the origins of common words like "apple," which has a rich and complex history.

The English word "apple" has its roots in the Old English word "æppel," which is derived from the Proto-Germanic "*aplaz." This word is further believed to have come from the Proto-Indo-European "*h₂ébōl," which means "apple." The word has been relatively stable in its form and meaning throughout the centuries, with the Old English "æppel" being quite similar to the modern English "apple."

Now, let's address the fascinating etymology related to the term "Adam's apple" and its connection to the biblical story of the Garden of Eden. The story, as told in the Book of Genesis, is that Adam and Eve were the first humans and lived in the Garden of Eden. They were told not to eat from the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil." However, they were tempted by a serpent and ate the fruit, which led to their expulsion from the garden.

The Latin term for "good and evil" is "bonum et malum." Some suggest that the word "malum," which also means "evil" in Latin, sounds similar to "melon" and that this could have influenced the naming of the fruit. However, this is a speculative connection and not a definitive etymological explanation.

The term "Adam's apple" refers to the prominent lump in the human throat, known anatomically as the laryngeal prominence. The story goes that when Adam swallowed the forbidden fruit too quickly, a piece of it got stuck in his throat, thus creating the Adam's apple. This is a mythological explanation and not a scientific one. The actual anatomical reason for the prominence of the Adam's apple is related to the development of the larynx and the voice box in males during puberty.

It's important to note that the apple as we know it today wasn't specifically identified with the biblical "tree of the knowledge of good and evil" until much later in history. The association of the apple with this tree is more a product of cultural interpretation and artistic representation rather than a linguistic or historical certainty.

In conclusion, the word "apple" has a straightforward etymological path from Old English to modern English, while the term "Adam's apple" is a fascinating blend of myth and anatomy. The connection between the apple and the biblical story is more symbolic and cultural than linguistically grounded.

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The tree of the forbidden fruit is called "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil" in Genesis 2:17, and the Latin for "good and evil" is bonum et malum. ... The larynx in the human throat has been called the "Adam's apple" because of a notion that it was caused by the forbidden fruit remaining in the throat of Adam.read more >>