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Achiote

3 stages from Nahuatl to English.

Today it means a red-orange seasoning and natural dye made from the seeds of the annatto shrub

Where does the word "achiote" come from? It comes from Nahuatl achiotl, passing through Spanish before entering English (1790s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
achiotl
Nahuatl · pre-1500s
"the seed of the annatto shrub"
named the reddish seeds of the annatto shrub used as dye and seasoning
2
Stage 2 of 3
achiote
Spanish · 1600s
"a red seasoning and dye made from annatto seeds"
adopted into Mexican and Central American Spanish for the same seed
3
Stage 3 of 3
achiote
English · 1790s
"a red-orange seasoning and coloring made from annatto seeds"
borrowed into English through accounts of Mesoamerican cooking and dyeing
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