'apricot' originates from Spanish (and Catalan) via Arabic and Late Latin; Spanish 'albaricoque' comes from Arabic 'al-barqūq' meaning 'the plum' (the Arabic word itself influenced by earlier Latin forms).

'apricot' changed from Spanish/Catalan 'albaricoque' (and Old French 'abricot') and earlier from Arabic 'al-barqūq'; ultimately influenced by Late Latin 'praecocium' (from Latin 'praecox' meaning 'early-ripe'), and eventually became the modern English word 'apricot'.

Initially related to words meaning 'early-ripening' or referred broadly to plums/stone fruit; over time it came to refer specifically to the fruit and tree we now call the apricot.