Where does “vinegar” come from?
Vinegar comes from Middle English vynegre, from Old French vinaigre, composed of Old French vin from Latin vīnum and Latin acer meaning sharp or sour, ultimately derived from Proto-Indo-European h₂ḱrós and h₂eḱ-.
vinegar (English): A sour liquid formed by the fermentation of...
Definitions
- A sour liquid formed by the fermentation of...
Ancestry of “vinegar”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | vynegre | vinegar, especially that made from wine |
| 2 | Old French | vinaigre | vinegar |
| 3 | Old French | aigre | sour; acrid |
| 4 | Vulgar Latin | acrus | sour |
| 5 | Latin | ācer | sharp, sour, bitter, pungent |
| 6 | Latin | saccharum | sugar |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | σάκχαρ | sugar; sugar cane |
| 8 | Sanskrit | शर्करा | gravel, grit, pebbles, shingle, gravelly mould or... |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-Aryan | śárkaraH | — |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-Iranian | ćárkaraH | — |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱorkeh₂ | gravel, boulder; boulder; gravel |