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kielbasa

a smoked sausage of Polish origin

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

Read the full story

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

Kielbasa’s story begins in Polish: kielbasa meant “sausage.” The general Polish word for sausage. It reached English by 1900s as kielbasa. Polish immigrants to Chicago, Pittsburgh and Buffalo made it an American staple. Today, kielbasa means a smoked sausage of Polish origin.

  1. Stage 1 · Polish · medieval kielbasa "sausage", the general Polish word for sausage.
  2. Stage 2 · English · 1900s kielbasa "a smoked Polish sausage", Polish immigrants to Chicago, Pittsburgh and Buffalo made it an American staple.

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