bakshish

Where does the word "bakshish" come from? It comes from Persian bakhshidan, and was adopted directly into English (1680s).

Bakshish’s story begins in Persian: bakhshidan meant “to give, gift.” Meant "to give"; bakhshish was the noun "gift". It reached English by 1680s as bakshish / baksheesh. Picked up by travelers and traders across the Ottoman and Persian world. Today, bakshish means a small sum of money given as a tip, gratuity, or bribe, especially in the Middle East and South Asia.

1. Stage 1 · Persian · medieval bakhshidan "to give, gift", meant "to give"; bakhshish was the noun "gift".
2. Stage 2 · English · 1680s bakshish / baksheesh "tip, gratuity, or bribe", picked up by travelers and traders across the Ottoman and Persian world.