surimi

Where does the word "surimi" come from? It comes from Japanese surimi, and was adopted directly into English (1980s).

Surimi’s story begins in Japanese: surimi meant “processed, ground fish paste.” Literally 'ground meat', a traditional method of processing minced fish. It reached English by 1980s as surimi. Japanese 'minced meat'; mass-produced imitation crab sticks began in 1974. Today, surimi means a processed fish paste, commonly formed into imitation crab and other seafood products.

1. Stage 1 · Japanese · medieval surimi "processed, ground fish paste", literally 'ground meat', a traditional method of processing minced fish.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1980s surimi "processed fish paste, often shaped into imitation crab or shellfish", Japanese 'minced meat'; mass-produced imitation crab sticks began in 1974.