שסק

Where it comes from

Originally from Aramaic שִׁסְקָא, mentioned in the Talmud, the identification of which is unclear, although it was variously applied to the plum, almond or medlar by medieval commentators.

The interpretation as medlar was adopted in the revival of Hebrew by Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, which was subsequently re-nativized to mean loquat, likely influenced by Arabic إِسْكِدُنْيَا (ʔiskidunyā, “medlar, loquat”). Also compare Portuguese nêspera, as well as Italian nespola del Giappone, Spanish níspero japonés, French nèfle du Japon, German Japanische Mispel.