Where does “kouign-amann” come from?
kouign-amann (French) comes from Breton kouign-amann, from Breton amann, from German Ammann, from German Amtmann, from German amt, from Middle High German ambahte, from Old High German ambahti, from Proto-Germanic ambahtaz — to drive.
kouign-amann (French): A traditional Breton butter cake
Definitions
- A traditional Breton butter cake
Ancestry of “kouign-amann”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Breton | kouign-amann | A traditional Breton butter cake |
| 2 | Breton | amann | butter |
| 3 | German | Ammann | — |
| 4 | German | Amtmann | bailiff |
| 5 | German | amt | agency; department; office state institution responsible for specified concerns |
| 6 | Middle High German | ambahte | — |
| 7 | Old High German | ambahti | position, office |
| 8 | Proto-Germanic | ambahtaz | servant |
| 9 | Gaulish | ambaxtos | vassal, high-ranking servant |
| 10 | Proto-Celtic | ambaxtos | servant |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eǵ- | to drive |