bhaji

Where does the word "bhaji" come from? It comes from Sanskrit bharjita, passing through Gujarati before entering English (1832).

Bhaji’s story begins in Sanskrit: bharjita meant “fried, roasted.” Past participle meaning 'roasted, fried'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Gujarati as bhaji. Came to mean fried vegetables or greens. It reached English by 1832 as bhaji. Onion bhajis became a fixture of British curry-house menus in the 1900s. Today, bhaji means a South Asian dish of vegetables (often onions) fried in spiced batter.

1. Stage 1 · Sanskrit · ancient bharjita "fried, roasted", past participle meaning 'roasted, fried'.
2. Stage 2 · Gujarati · medieval bhaji "fried vegetables or greens", came to mean fried vegetables or greens.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1832 bhaji "a dish or fritter of spiced, fried vegetables", onion bhajis became a fixture of British curry-house menus in the 1900s.