In reply to:

The word apple, in English, used to refer to any round fruit such as a pomegranate or a norange.

Faldage, can you expand on this a bit? Do you know when "apple" changed from meaning a round fruit to a fruit of the malus pumila? I'm guessing that the change coincided with the introduction of the malus pumila into the diet, but of what culture? Given the Biblical reference, post-King James? Or does the change go back further, since Germans are well acquainted with apfel malus pumila? If the apple is so recently domesticated, is it new world?

Many thanks.