semolina

Where does the word "semolina" come from? It comes from Latin simila, passing through Italian before entering English (1790s).

Semolina’s story begins in Latin: simila meant “fine flour.” The finest wheat flour. By 1500s, the word had taken hold in Italian as semolino. A diminutive of 'semola', bran. It reached English by 1790s as semolina. Became a staple of British school puddings. Today, semolina means coarse grains of durum wheat used for pasta and puddings.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient simila "fine flour", the finest wheat flour.
2. Stage 2 · Italian · 1500s semolino "semolina", a diminutive of 'semola', bran.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1790s semolina "wheat grains", became a staple of British school puddings.