Etymology Map
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Kohlrabi

3 stages from Italian to English.

Today it means a cabbage with an edible turnip-like stem

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

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

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.