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kohlrabi

a cabbage with an edible turnip-like stem

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Where does the word "kohlrabi" come from? It comes from Italian cavoli rape, passing through German before entering English (1800s).

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Where does the word "kohlrabi" come from? It comes from Italian cavoli rape, passing through German before entering English (1800s).

Kohlrabi’s story begins in Italian: cavoli rape meant “cabbage turnips.” 'cabbage turnips'. By 1600s, the word had taken hold in German as Kohlrabi. Reshaped by German 'Kohl', cabbage. It reached English by 1800s as kohlrabi. Borrowed with the vegetable. Today, kohlrabi means a cabbage with an edible turnip-like stem.

  1. Stage 1 · Italian · 1500s cavoli rape "cabbage turnips", 'cabbage turnips'.
  2. Stage 2 · German · 1600s Kohlrabi "kohlrabi", reshaped by German 'Kohl', cabbage.
  3. Stage 3 · English · 1800s kohlrabi "kohlrabi", borrowed with the vegetable.

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