Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “kale” come from?

Kale comes from Middle English cale, whose ultimate origin and meaning remain uncertain.

kale (English): An edible plant, similar to cabbage, with curled...

Definitions

  1. An edible plant, similar to cabbage, with curled...

Ancestry of “kale”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishcale—

Words derived from “kale”

  • kail
  • kell
  • kailyard
  • kalette
  • kalelike
Every word from Middle English cale →