cohosh

Where does the word "cohosh" come from? It comes from Eastern Abenaki/Penobscot kkwahas, and was adopted directly into English (1790s).

Cohosh’s story begins in Eastern Abenaki/Penobscot: kkwahas meant “rough.” Meant 'rough', describing the plant's gnarled root. It reached English by 1790s as cohosh. Native healers used black cohosh roots, and colonists took it up as a folk remedy. Today, cohosh means a North American woodland plant (black or blue cohosh) whose root has traditionally been used as an herbal remedy.

1. Stage 1 · Eastern Abenaki/Penobscot · pre-1700s kkwahas "rough", meant 'rough', describing the plant's gnarled root.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1790s cohosh "a woodland plant with a rough rhizome, used medicinally", native healers used black cohosh roots, and colonists took it up as a folk remedy.