shashlik

Where does the word "shashlik" come from? It comes from Crimean Tatar şış, passing through Russian before entering English (late 1800s).

Shashlik’s story begins in Crimean Tatar: şış meant “skewer, skewered meat.” Meant "spit"; shishlik meant "something for the spit". By 1800s, the word had taken hold in Russian as shashlyk. Crimean Tatar 'şış', skewer; Russian soldiers brought it back from the Caucasus wars. It reached English by late 1800s as shashlik. Entered English describing the Caucasian and Central Asian dish. Today, shashlik means skewered and grilled cubes of marinated meat, especially as prepared in Russia, the Caucasus, and Central Asia.

1. Stage 1 · Crimean Tatar · 1700s şış "skewer, skewered meat", meant "spit"; shishlik meant "something for the spit".
2. Stage 2 · Russian · 1800s shashlyk "skewered grilled meat", Crimean Tatar 'şış', skewer; Russian soldiers brought it back from the Caucasus wars.
3. Stage 3 · English · late 1800s shashlik "skewered grilled meat", entered English describing the Caucasian and Central Asian dish.