Final answer:
The word "tangerine" originates from Morocco, specifically linked to the port of Tangier. This reflects the deep historical trade routes that connected West Africa with North Africa and Europe through goods like oranges.
Step-by-step explanation:
The word "tangerine" was originally used to describe a variety of orange that came from the African country of Morocco. These oranges were then transported across the vast Sahara Desert from tropical West Africa to North Africa's coastal regions. The naming of the fruit is closely linked with the port city of Tangier in Morocco, which was a pivotal point of trade and distribution for these oranges to the European continent.
Morocco, during the historical period of extensive trade across the Sahara, saw merchants bringing not only oranges but various other goods such as gold, salt, and spices through trading hubs like Timbuktu and Gao. The oranges that bore the name of Tangier epitomize the rich history of trans-Saharan trade that connected distant parts of the African continent with Europe and the wider world.