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Shish kebab

2 stages from Ottoman Turkish to English.

Today it means cubes of meat grilled on a skewer

Where does the word "shish kebab" come from? It comes from Ottoman Turkish şiş kebap, adopted directly into English (1910s).

1
Stage 1 of 2
şiş kebap
Ottoman Turkish · medieval
"skewered roast meat"
'şiş' is the Turkish for skewer; soldiers and herders grilled meat this way over open fires
2
Stage 2 of 2
shish kebab
English · 1910s
"skewered grilled meat"
Armenian-American restaurateurs such as George Mardikian of San Francisco made it popular in the United States
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Shish kebab’s story begins in Ottoman Turkish: şiş kebap meant “skewered roast meat.” 'şiş' is the Turkish for skewer; soldiers and herders grilled meat this way over open fires. It reached English by 1910s as shish kebab. Armenian-American restaurateurs such as George Mardikian of San Francisco made it popular in the United States. Today, shish kebab means cubes of meat grilled on a skewer.