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Where does the word "masala" come from? It comes from Arabic maṣāliḥ, passing through Urdu before entering English (1780s).
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Where does the word "masala" come from? It comes from Arabic maṣāliḥ, passing through Urdu before entering English (1780s).
Masala’s story begins in Arabic: maṣāliḥ meant “necessities.” Things needed, ingredients. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Urdu as masāla. Spices, ingredients; 'masala' films mix every genre. It reached English by 1780s as masala. 'chicken tikka masala' became a British favourite in the late 1900s. Today, masala means a mixture of ground spices used in Indian cooking.
- Stage 1 · Arabic · medieval maṣāliḥ "necessities", things needed, ingredients.
- Stage 2 · Urdu · medieval masāla "spices", spices, ingredients; 'masala' films mix every genre.
- Stage 3 · English · 1780s masala "spice mix", 'chicken tikka masala' became a British favourite in the late 1900s.