ghee

Where does the word "ghee" come from? It comes from Sanskrit ghrta, and was adopted directly into English (1600s).

Ghee’s story begins in Sanskrit: ghrta meant “clarified butter.” Clarified butter, used in cooking and ritual across South Asia. It reached English by 1600s as ghee. Offered to the fire in Vedic rituals. Today, ghee means clarified butter, widely used in South Asian cooking.

1. Stage 1 · Sanskrit · ancient ghrta "clarified butter", clarified butter, used in cooking and ritual across South Asia.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1600s ghee "clarified butter used in South Asian cooking", offered to the fire in Vedic rituals.