eye-apple

English

Etymology

From Middle English ij appel, from Old English ēagæppel (“eyeball, pupil”), from Proto-West Germanic *augapl, equivalent to eye +‎ apple.

Cognate with West Frisian eachappel (“pupil”), Dutch oogappel (“eyeball; pupil”), German Augapfel (“eyeball”), Danish øjeæble (“eyeball”), Norwegian øyeeple (“eyeball”).

Noun

eye-apple (plural eye-apples)

1. (anatomy) The eyeball or pupil
2. Synonym of apple of one's eye

See also

• apple of the eye