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Bakshish

2 stages from Persian to English.

Today it means a small sum of money given as a tip, gratuity, or bribe, especially in the Middle East and South Asia

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

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