cutlet

Where does the word "cutlet" come from? It comes from Latin costa, passing through French before entering English (1700s).

Cutlet’s story begins in Latin: costa meant “rib.” 'rib', also the source of 'coast', the 'rib' or side of the land. By 1600s, the word had taken hold in French as côtelette. 'little rib', a chop cut with its rib bone. It reached English by 1700s as cutlet. Reshaped by association with 'cut'; the Victorian 'cutlet' became a staple of Anglo-Indian cooking. Today, cutlet means a small piece of meat from the neck or ribs; a flat croquette.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · classical costa "rib", 'rib', also the source of 'coast', the 'rib' or side of the land.
2. Stage 2 · French · 1600s côtelette "small rib chop", 'little rib', a chop cut with its rib bone.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1700s cutlet "thin slice of meat", reshaped by association with 'cut'; the Victorian 'cutlet' became a staple of Anglo-Indian cooking.