Have you ever wondered about that noticeable bump in the front of your neck, often more prominent in men? Ask the internet “why is it called an Adam’s apple,” and you’ll likely be served a story straight from the Garden of Eden. This popular tale suggests that when Adam succumbed to Eve’s temptation and ate the forbidden apple, a piece got stuck in his throat. Supposedly, God, in divine retribution, ensured this lump remained as a permanent reminder of Adam’s sin, passed down to all men ever since. And thus, the “Adam’s apple” moniker was born, forever linking the neck protrusion to biblical disobedience.
alt Man's profile showing Adam's apple
A visible Adam’s apple on a man’s neck, highlighting its typical prominence.
However, while a captivating story, the internet’s common explanation is, in fact, incorrect. The name for this neck bump, scientifically known as the laryngeal protuberance, has absolutely nothing to do with Adam, Eve, or the infamous apple in the Garden of Eden.
The Real Story Behind the Adam’s Apple Name
The term “Adam’s apple,” or more formally “laryngeal protuberance,” which is formed by the thyroid cartilage—the largest cartilage in your larynx (voice box)—has been part of the English language since at least 1625. Interestingly, similar terms exist in other European languages, echoing the biblical Adam connection. Consider the French “pomme d’Adam” (literally “Adam’s apple,” and they also use “morceau d’Adam,” meaning “Adam’s morsel”), the Italian “pomo d’Adamo,” and the German “Adamsapfel”—all directly translating to Adam’s apple.
But here’s where the etymological trail gets intriguing. Decades before “Adam’s apple” became associated with this anatomical feature, it was used to describe various edible fruits, including plantains, pomelos, and citrons. This seemingly random application of the term wasn’t unusual in earlier times. Dating back to the medieval period, European writers frequently used Latin variations of “Adam’s apple”—like pomum Adam, pomum Adami, and Adami pomum—for a variety of fruits, notably the pomegranate. The underlying idea was likely to categorize these esteemed fruits as belonging to the “fruits of Paradise,” reminiscent of the mythical Garden of Eden.
Pomegranates, Not Apples: A Twist in the Tale
Interestingly, medieval Arab medical writers, exploring throat anatomy, also drew fruit analogies, but they landed on “pomegranate” as a descriptor for the laryngeal protuberance. The reason for this choice remains unclear. Was it a visual similarity? Perhaps the texture of pomegranate skin reminded them of the skin covering the neck protrusion? Or was it symbolic? The pomegranate has held significant symbolic weight throughout history and across cultures. Biblical King Solomon had pomegranate orchards, in Greek mythology, Persephone’s pomegranate seed tied her to the underworld, and even the Prophet Muhammad praised pomegranates, associating them with purging envy and hatred.
Whatever the initial inspiration for associating the laryngeal protuberance with a pomegranate, it’s highly probable that European writers encountered this designation in its Latin translation, pomum granatum (pomegranate). They then likely applied the synonymous Latin term pomum Adami to the same anatomical part. Evidence from a late 16th-century anatomical work supports this, noting that both “pomegranate” and “Adam’s apple” were common vernacular terms for the larynx: “…partem protuberantem, que malum granatum et pomum Adami barbaris dicitur constituit.” Other contemporary authors also cited pomum Adami as the Latinized version of the common name, Adam’s apple.
It seems the human tendency to create stories to explain word origins is nothing new. Even 300 years ago, explanations mirroring today’s internet myths were circulating. In 1707, John Purcell offered this explanation:
“… an eminence or protuberance plain to be felt and seen in the neck, which several anatomists call Pomum Adami or, the Apple of Adam, from a vulgar superstitious notion that when Adam eat the forbidden Apple it stuck in his Throat, and that God to perpetuate the memory of this his offence plac’d the like protuberance in the throats of all his posterity; which is not quite so apparent in Women, because, say they, the Crime of Eve was less….”
To set the record straight, Mr. Purcell and the internet are mistaken. The Adam’s apple isn’t named after the biblical tale. It’s called an Adam’s apple because the Latin term pomum Adami, which translates to “Adam’s apple,” was initially a term for a pomegranate.
Debunking the Hebrew Theory
There’s another less prominent theory suggesting that pomum Adami originated as a translation of a Medieval Hebrew phrase tappūăḥ ha’ÄdhÄm, meaning “protuberance on a man,” which was then reinterpreted as “Adam’s apple.” However, this 19th-century theory lacks factual basis. No such Hebrew expression with this anatomical meaning has been found in pre-modern Hebrew texts.
In conclusion, the true etymology of “Adam’s apple” points not to the Garden of Eden, but to a historical linguistic journey involving pomegranates, Latin translations, and a dash of etymological misunderstanding. So, the next time you hear the Adam and Eve story, you’ll know the real, more nuanced, and arguably more fascinating origin of this common anatomical term.
