Where does “head cheese” come from?

head cheese (English) comes from Dutch hoofdkaas, from Dutch kaas, from Middle Dutch câse, from Old Dutch kāsi, from Proto-West Germanic kāsī, from Proto-Germanic kāsijaz, from Latin cāseus, from Proto-Indo-European kwat- — to ferment, become sour; to boil.

head cheese (English): A terrine made from the flesh of the head of a...

Definitions

  1. A terrine made from the flesh of the head of a...

Ancestry of “head cheese”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchhoofdkaasbrawn, head cheese
2Dutchkaascheese
3Middle Dutchcâsecheese
4Old Dutchkāsi—
5Proto-West Germanickāsīcheese
6Proto-Germanickāsijazcheese
7Latincāseuscheese
8Proto-Indo-Europeankwat-to ferment, become sour; to boil
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kwat- →