Etymology Map
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Saucer

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means a small dish for a cup

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

1
Stage 1 of 3
salsa
Latin · ancient
"salted"
the root of 'sauce' and 'salsa'
2
Stage 2 of 3
saussier
Old French · medieval
"sauce dish"
a small dish for sauces
3
Stage 3 of 3
saucer
English · 1300s
"sauce dish"
the cup-plate sense dates from the 1700s; 'flying saucer' from 1947
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Read the full story

Saucer’s story begins in Latin: salsa meant “salted.” The root of 'sauce' and 'salsa'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as saussier. A small dish for sauces. It reached English by 1300s as saucer. The cup-plate sense dates from the 1700s; 'flying saucer' from 1947. Today, saucer means a small dish for a cup.