gravlax

Where does the word "gravlax" come from? It comes from Swedish grav lax, and was adopted directly into English (1930s).

Gravlax’s story begins in Swedish: grav lax meant “buried salmon.” Literally buried salmon, from an old method of curing fish by burying it in the ground. It reached English by 1930s as gravlax. Swedish 'grave salmon', since fishermen buried the fish in sand to ferment it. Today, gravlax means a Scandinavian dish of salmon cured with salt, sugar, and dill.

1. Stage 1 · Swedish · medieval grav lax "buried salmon", literally buried salmon, from an old method of curing fish by burying it in the ground.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1930s gravlax "salmon cured with salt, sugar, and dill", Swedish 'grave salmon', since fishermen buried the fish in sand to ferment it.