Etymology Map
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Simit

3 stages from Arabic to English.

Today it means a ring of bread coated in sesame seeds, sold as a street snack in Turkey

Where does the word "simit" come from? It comes from Arabic samīd, passing through Ottoman Turkish before entering English (2000s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
samīd
Arabic · medieval
"fine flour"
fine white flour or semolina
2
Stage 2 of 3
simit
Ottoman Turkish · 1500s-1600s
"sesame bread ring"
Istanbul vendors carry stacks of simit on trays on their heads
3
Stage 3 of 3
simit
English · 2000s
"sesame bread ring"
entered English through Turkish bakeries and cafés abroad
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Read the full story

Simit’s story begins in Arabic: samīd meant “fine flour.” Fine white flour or semolina. By 1500s-1600s, the word had taken hold in Ottoman Turkish as simit. Istanbul vendors carry stacks of simit on trays on their heads. It reached English by 2000s as simit. Entered English through Turkish bakeries and cafés abroad. Today, simit means a ring of bread coated in sesame seeds, sold as a street snack in Turkey.