lassi

Where does the word "lassi" come from? It comes from Sanskrit lasya, passing through Punjabi before entering English (1882).

Lassi’s story begins in Sanskrit: lasya meant “stickiness; juice.” Root meaning 'stickiness' (an alternate theory traces it to rasa, 'juice'). By medieval, the word had taken hold in Punjabi as lassi. Became the name of the churned yogurt drink. It reached English by 1882 as lassi. British writers on India adopted the word. Today, lassi means a chilled, blended yogurt drink from South Asia, served sweet, salty, or flavored with fruit.

1. Stage 1 · Sanskrit · ancient lasya "stickiness; juice", root meaning 'stickiness' (an alternate theory traces it to rasa, 'juice').
2. Stage 2 · Punjabi · medieval lassi "a yogurt-based drink", became the name of the churned yogurt drink.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1882 lassi "a chilled, blended yogurt drink, sweetened or salted", British writers on India adopted the word.