tabbouleh

Where does the word "tabbouleh" come from? It comes from Arabic tabil, passing through Levantine Arabic before entering English (1939).

Tabbouleh’s story begins in Arabic: tabil meant “seasoning.” Meant "seasoning" or "spice". By medieval, the word had taken hold in Levantine Arabic as tabbulah. Named the seasoned salad now eaten across the Levant. It reached English by 1939 as tabbouleh. Entered English through Levantine cuisine. Today, tabbouleh means a Levantine salad of bulgur wheat, chopped parsley, tomatoes, mint, and lemon juice.

1. Stage 1 · Arabic · medieval tabil "seasoning", meant "seasoning" or "spice".
2. Stage 2 · Levantine Arabic · medieval tabbulah "seasoned salad", named the seasoned salad now eaten across the Levant.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1939 tabbouleh "parsley and bulgur salad", entered English through Levantine cuisine.