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The meaning and origin of the expression: The Big Apple

The Big Apple

What's the meaning of the phrase 'The Big Apple'?

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Nickname for New York, USA.

What's the origin of the phrase 'The Big Apple'?

There is no definitive source for this. As so often, there are several theories. One is that it derives from the translation by jazz musicians of the Manzana area as 'apple orchard'.

The Big AppleAnother explanation has it that jazz musician's slang for engagement was 'apple' and that a date in New York was the 'big apple'. The phrase was certainly current in jazz music circles in the 1930s.

Probably the strongest contender is that it was coined in the horse racing community in the southern USA. John J. Fitz Gerald was a horse-racing writer for the New York Morning Telegraph in the 1920s. He reports hearing the phrase used by stable lads while on a visit to New Orleans in 1920, although there's nothing in that report to link the phrase to New York.

Fitz Gerald did later use the phrase with reference to New York in his 'Around the Big Apple', piece for the Telegraph on February 18, 1924, and that is the earliest citation we can find of it in print:

"The Big Apple. The dream of every lad that ever threw a leg over a thoroughbred and the goal of all horsemen. There’s only one Big Apple. That’s New York."

So, by his own account, Fitz Gerald didn't coin the phrase, but it's likely that he set it on its course to become part of the language.

Gary Martin - the author of the phrases.org.uk website.

By Gary Martin

Gary Martin is a writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

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