meze

Where does the word "meze" come from? It comes from Persian maza, passing through Turkish before entering English (1904).

Meze’s story begins in Persian: maza meant “taste, relish.” Meant "taste" or "relish". By medieval, the word had taken hold in Turkish as meze. Persian 'maza', taste; served with raki or ouzo. It reached English by 1904 as meze. Spread through the cuisines of the former Ottoman lands into English usage. Today, meze means a selection of small Middle Eastern or Mediterranean dishes served together as an appetizer.

1. Stage 1 · Persian · medieval maza "taste, relish", meant "taste" or "relish".
2. Stage 2 · Turkish · medieval meze "appetizer", Persian 'maza', taste; served with raki or ouzo.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1904 meze "shared appetizer spread", spread through the cuisines of the former Ottoman lands into English usage.