tempura

Where does the word "tempura" come from? It comes from Portuguese tempero, passing through Japanese before entering English (1900s).

Tempura’s story begins in Portuguese: tempero meant “seasoning.” Meaning "seasoning", possibly linked to Lenten fasting practices of frying fish and vegetables. By 1600s, the word had taken hold in Japanese as tempura. From Portuguese 'tempero', seasoning, or 'quattuor tempora', Ember Days when Catholics ate fish. It reached English by 1900s as tempura. English sources mention vegetable tempura by 1911; earlier English uses were of fish, 'sakana no tempura'. Today, tempura means a Japanese dish of seafood or vegetables, battered and deep-fried.

1. Stage 1 · Portuguese · 1500s tempero "seasoning", meaning "seasoning", possibly linked to Lenten fasting practices of frying fish and vegetables.
2. Stage 2 · Japanese · 1600s tempura "battered, deep-fried food", from Portuguese 'tempero', seasoning, or 'quattuor tempora', Ember Days when Catholics ate fish.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1900s tempura "lightly battered, deep-fried seafood or vegetables", English sources mention vegetable tempura by 1911; earlier English uses were of fish, 'sakana no tempura'.