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nuoc mam

a pungent fermented fish sauce central to Vietnamese cooking

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Where does the word "nuoc mam" come from? It comes from Vietnamese nuoc mam, and was adopted directly into English (1900s).

Read the full story

Where does the word "nuoc mam" come from? It comes from Vietnamese nuoc mam, and was adopted directly into English (1900s).

Nuoc mam’s story begins in Vietnamese: nuoc mam meant “fish sauce.” Literally fish water, a pungent fermented fish sauce central to Vietnamese cooking. It reached English by 1900s as nuoc mam. Made by fermenting anchovies with salt; Phú Quốc island is famous for it. Today, nuoc mam means a pungent fermented fish sauce central to Vietnamese cooking.

  1. Stage 1 · Vietnamese · medieval nuoc mam "fish sauce", literally fish water, a pungent fermented fish sauce central to Vietnamese cooking.
  2. Stage 2 · English · 1900s nuoc mam "a pungent Vietnamese fermented fish sauce", made by fermenting anchovies with salt; Phú Quốc island is famous for it.

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