Where does “crème” come from?
crème (French) comes from Middle French chresme, from Old French cresme, from Late Latin crama, from Late Latin chrisma, from Ancient Greek χρῖσμα, from Ancient Greek χρίω, from Proto-Indo-European gʰrēy-, from Proto-Indo-European gʰer- — to rub; to stroke; to grind.
crème (French): cream; cool; café crème
Definitions
- cream; cool; café crème
Ancestry of “crème”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle French | chresme | cream (milk product) |
| 2 | Old French | cresme | cream |
| 3 | Late Latin | crama | skim; nominative plural of crāmum; accusative... |
| 4 | Late Latin | chrisma | ointment |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | χρῖσμα | anointing, unction; wall coating, plaster |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | χρίω | to rub or smear (especially the body) with oil or unguents; to anoint |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | gʰrēy- | to smear; to paint, streak, smear |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | gʰer- | to rub; to stroke; to grind |