kheer

Where does the word "kheer" come from? It comes from Sanskrit kshira, passing through Hindi before entering English (20th c.).

Kheer’s story begins in Sanskrit: kshira meant “milk.” Meant 'milk'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Hindi as khir. Became the name of a sweet milk-based rice pudding. It reached English by 20th c. as kheer. Adopted in English food writing on South Asian desserts. Today, kheer means a sweet South Asian dessert of rice (or vermicelli) simmered in milk with sugar and cardamom.

1. Stage 1 · Sanskrit · ancient kshira "milk", meant 'milk'.
2. Stage 2 · Hindi · medieval khir "a sweet rice pudding made with milk", became the name of a sweet milk-based rice pudding.
3. Stage 3 · English · 20th c. kheer "a sweet pudding of rice, milk, and sugar, often flavored with cardamom", adopted in English food writing on South Asian desserts.