Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “turmeric” come from?

Turmeric comes from Middle English turmeryte, a word of uncertain ultimate origin whose earliest meaning remains unknown.

turmeric (English): An Indian plant, "Curcuma longa", with aromatic...

Definitions

  1. An Indian plant, "Curcuma longa", with aromatic...

Ancestry of “turmeric”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishturmeryteturmeric
2Old Frenchterreearth; soil; land, property
3LatinTerragoddess of the earth; the Earth itself; tierra ...
4Proto-Indo-Europeanters-dry

Words derived from “turmeric”

  • turmerone
  • turmerol
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ters- →