Back to all words

Pozole

3 stages from Nahuatl to English.

Today it means a traditional Mexican stew made with hominy corn, meat, and chili, often served for celebrations

Where does the word "pozole" come from? It comes from Nahuatl pozolli, passing through Spanish before entering English (1950s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
pozolli
Nahuatl · pre-1500s
"a frothy maize stew"
named a frothy stew of maize kernels, from tlapozonalli 'something frothy'
2
Stage 2 of 3
pozole
Spanish · 1500s-1600s
"a hominy-based stew, often served on special occasions"
adopted into Mexican Spanish for the traditional hominy stew
3
Stage 3 of 3
pozole
English · 1950s
"a traditional Mexican stew made with hominy and meat"
borrowed into English through Mexican cuisine in the American Southwest
Drag to pan · scroll to zoom