carrot

Where does the word "carrot" come from? It comes from Greek karōton, passing through Latin and Middle French before entering English (1530s).

Carrot’s story begins in Greek: karōton meant “carrot.” Possibly from a root meaning horn, for the root's pointed shape. By ancient, the word had taken hold in Latin as carota. The Roman cookbook attributed to Apicius includes recipes for carrots. From there it passed into Middle French as carotte by 1500s. Named the wild and cultivated root, which was then usually purple or yellow. It reached English by 1530s as carrot. The familiar orange carrot was developed by Dutch growers in the 1600s and spread to English gardens. Today, carrot means an orange root vegetable.

1. Stage 1 · Greek · ancient karōton "carrot", possibly from a root meaning horn, for the root's pointed shape.
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient carota "carrot", the Roman cookbook attributed to Apicius includes recipes for carrots.
3. Stage 3 · Middle French · 1500s carotte "carrot", named the wild and cultivated root, which was then usually purple or yellow.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1530s carrot "carrot", the familiar orange carrot was developed by Dutch growers in the 1600s and spread to English gardens.