injera

Where does the word "injera" come from? It comes from Amharic injera, and was adopted directly into English (1900s).

Injera’s story begins in Amharic: injera meant “sourdough flatbread.” A spongy sourdough flatbread made from teff flour, central to Ethiopian cuisine. It reached English by 1900s as injera. Made from teff, a grain native to the Ethiopian highlands. Today, injera means a spongy Ethiopian sourdough flatbread made from teff flour.

1. Stage 1 · Amharic · medieval injera "sourdough flatbread", a spongy sourdough flatbread made from teff flour, central to Ethiopian cuisine.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1900s injera "a spongy Ethiopian sourdough flatbread", made from teff, a grain native to the Ethiopian highlands.