Where does the word ‘Limey’ come from

The word ‘Limey’ originates from sailors and life at sea in the 17th and 18h century. There was no access to fresh fruits and vegetables on long voyages so the sailors often suffered from scurvy caused by lack of vitamin C. The Royal Navy got around this by adding lime juice to barrels of water. Voila – the word limey was born.

Opinion varies on whether it is an insult or not so use with caution!