What Does "Apples & Oranges" Mean?

The phrase "apples and oranges" is a shorter version of the idiomatic phrase "comparing apples and oranges." The phrase signals that two things, or groups or classes of things, cannot be fairly compared to one another.

Considerations

The phrase "Apples and Oranges" is used to colloquially indicate a false analogy, or a false comparison, even though apples and oranges do belong to same class of things--fruits--and would thus seem to have qualities in common. Like any idiomatic phrase, "Apples and Oranges" has accumulated a meaning different than the individual words used within it.

Geography

French Canadians use the phrase in French, which is "comparer des pommes avec des oranges." Across Europe, the supposedly mismatched fruits in the idiomatic phrase are generally apples and pears.

Misconceptions

Idiomatic phrases are culturally, not linguistically, based. The phrase "Apples and Oranges" does not have the same meaning in British English. In Britain, the comparable idiomatic phrase is "Chalk and Cheese."

Warning

Take care when using "Apples and Oranges" around people who are not native to the United States, even those who speak English well. For example, some Europeans who learn English learn British, not American, English.

Fun Fact

The phrase "Apples and Oranges" also serves as the title for a Pink Floyd song about mismatched lovers.

References

• NationMaster.com: Encyclopedia: Apples and Oranges

Resources

• UsingEnglish.com: English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions