cider

Where does the word "cider" come from? It comes from Hebrew shekar, passing through Late Latin and Old French before entering English (1300s).

Cider’s story begins in Hebrew: shekar meant “strong drink.” A Hebrew word for any intoxicating drink, borrowed through Greek 'sikera'. By ancient, the word had taken hold in Late Latin as sikera. Hebrew 'shekhar', strong drink, passed through the Greek Bible into the Latin Vulgate as 'sicera'. From there it passed into Old French as sidre by medieval. Normandy became famous for apple cider. It reached English by 1300s as cider. In the US 'cider' can mean unfiltered apple juice. Today, cider means an alcoholic drink made from apples.

1. Stage 1 · Hebrew · ancient shekar "strong drink", a Hebrew word for any intoxicating drink, borrowed through Greek 'sikera'.
2. Stage 2 · Late Latin · ancient sikera "fermented liquor", Hebrew 'shekhar', strong drink, passed through the Greek Bible into the Latin Vulgate as 'sicera'.
3. Stage 3 · Old French · medieval sidre "cider", Normandy became famous for apple cider.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1300s cider "fermented drink", in the US 'cider' can mean unfiltered apple juice.