polenta

Where does the word "polenta" come from? It comes from Latin polenta, passing through Italian before entering English (1600s).

Polenta’s story begins in Latin: polenta meant “peeled grain porridge.” Pearl barley, peeled and crushed grain porridge. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Italian as polenta. Settled in Italian for a cornmeal porridge after maize arrived from the Americas. It reached English by 1600s as polenta. From Latin 'polenta', barley porridge; maize polenta came after maize reached Italy from the Americas. Today, polenta means a dish of boiled cornmeal, popular in Italian cuisine.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient polenta "peeled grain porridge", pearl barley, peeled and crushed grain porridge.
2. Stage 2 · Italian · medieval polenta "a cornmeal porridge", settled in Italian for a cornmeal porridge after maize arrived from the Americas.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1600s polenta "a dish made from boiled cornmeal", from Latin 'polenta', barley porridge; maize polenta came after maize reached Italy from the Americas.