onion

Where does the word "onion" come from? It comes from Latin unio, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).

Onion’s story begins in Latin: unio meant “a single large pearl; onion.” Roman farmers' word, possibly from 'unus', one, for the bulb that grows singly, unlike garlic. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as oignon. Replaced the Latin 'cepa' in northern France. It reached English by 1300s as onion. Displaced Old English 'ynne-leac', onion-leek. Today, onion means an edible bulb with a pungent taste and smell.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient unio "a single large pearl; onion", Roman farmers' word, possibly from 'unus', one, for the bulb that grows singly, unlike garlic.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval oignon "onion", replaced the Latin 'cepa' in northern France.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s onion "onion", displaced Old English 'ynne-leac', onion-leek.