roux

Where does the word "roux" come from? It comes from French roux, and was adopted directly into English (1810s).

Roux’s story begins in French: roux meant “reddish-brown.” Literally reddish-brown, describing the color of butter and flour cooked together. It reached English by 1810s as roux. French 'reddish-brown', from browned butter and flour; one of the bases of French sauces. Today, roux means a cooked mixture of fat and flour, used as a base to thicken sauces.

1. Stage 1 · French · 1700s roux "reddish-brown", literally reddish-brown, describing the color of butter and flour cooked together.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1810s roux "a cooked butter-and-flour mixture used to thicken sauces", French 'reddish-brown', from browned butter and flour; one of the bases of French sauces.