Webster's English Dictionary

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mandarin

1. man.da.rin \'man-d(*-)r*n\ \-.a-t\ \-.iz-*m\ n [Pg mandarim, fr. Malay 
   mehachek>ntehachek>ri, fr.] [F mandarine, fr. Sp mandarina, prob. fr. 
   mandarin mandarin,]Skt mantrin counselor, fr. mantra counsel - more at 
   MANTRA 1: a public official under the Chinese Empire of any of nine 
   superior grade s cap  2a: the primarily northern dialect of Chinese used by 
   the court and the off icial classes under the Empire 2b: the chief dialect 
   of China that is spoken in about four fifths of the c ountry and has a 
   standard variety centering about Pekingfr. Pg mandarim; prob. fr. the color 
   of a mandarin's robes 3a: a small spiny Chinese orange tree (Citrus 
   reticulata) with yellow  to reddish orange loose-skinned fruits; also : a 
   cultivated selection or hybrid of the Chinese mandarin 3b: the fruit of a 
   mandarin  - man.da.rin.ate n
2. mandarin aj 1: of, relating to, or typical of a mandarin {~ graces}  2: 
   marked by polished ornate complexity of language {~ style}