Etymology Map
Back to all words

Durum

3 stages from Turkish to English.

Today it means a flatbread wrap rolled around doner or grilled meat

Where does the word "durum" come from? It comes from Turkish dürüm, passing through German before entering English (2000s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
dürüm
Turkish · 1900s
"a roll, wrap"
from 'dürmek', to roll up
2
Stage 2 of 3
Dürüm
German · 1990s
"kebab wrap"
became a staple of Turkish snack bars in Germany alongside the doner sandwich
3
Stage 3 of 3
durum
English · 2000s
"kebab wrap"
spread through British and European kebab shops
Drag to pan · scroll to zoom
Read the full story

Durum’s story begins in Turkish: dürüm meant “a roll, wrap.” From 'dürmek', to roll up. By 1990s, the word had taken hold in German as Dürüm. Became a staple of Turkish snack bars in Germany alongside the doner sandwich. It reached English by 2000s as durum. Spread through British and European kebab shops. Today, durum means a flatbread wrap rolled around doner or grilled meat.