custard

Where does the word "custard" come from? It comes from Latin crusta, passing through Old French and Middle English before entering English (1600s).

Custard’s story begins in Latin: crusta meant “shell, crust.” The same word gives 'crust' and 'crustacean'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as croustade. An open pie baked in a pastry crust. From there it passed into Middle English as crustade by 1300s. The r shifted position and dropped away in everyday speech. It reached English by 1600s as custard. The name moved from the pie to its egg-and-milk filling. Today, custard means a sweet dish or sauce made with milk and eggs.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient crusta "shell, crust", the same word gives 'crust' and 'crustacean'.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval croustade "pie in a crust", an open pie baked in a pastry crust.
3. Stage 3 · Middle English · 1300s crustade "an open meat or fruit pie", the r shifted position and dropped away in everyday speech.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1600s custard "a sweet sauce or set dish of eggs and milk", the name moved from the pie to its egg-and-milk filling.