risotto

Where does the word "risotto" come from? It comes from Italian riso, passing through Italian before entering English (1850s).

Risotto’s story begins in Italian: riso meant “rice.” Rice, the base of the creamy Italian rice dish. Within Italian, it grew into risotto by 1800s. Settled as the Italian name for the slowly cooked, creamy rice dish. It reached English by 1850s as risotto. Risotto alla milanese, coloured with saffron, is the classic Milanese version. Today, risotto means a creamy Italian rice dish cooked slowly with broth.

1. Stage 1 · Italian · medieval riso "rice", rice, the base of the creamy Italian rice dish.
2. Stage 2 · Italian · 1800s risotto "a creamy, slowly cooked rice dish", settled as the Italian name for the slowly cooked, creamy rice dish.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1850s risotto "a creamy Italian rice dish", risotto alla milanese, coloured with saffron, is the classic Milanese version.