Where Did Herb & Spice Names Come From?
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- Опубликовано: 9 фев 2025
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SOURCES & FURTHER READING
Spices vs Herbs: www.simplotfoo...
History Of The Spice Trade: www.eatecollec...
Spice In British Cuisine: www.eatecollec...
Spice: www.etymonline...
Herb: www.etymonline...
Cumin: www.etymonline...
Turmeric: www.ncbi.nlm.n...
Saffron: www.etymonline...
Cinnamon: www.etymonline...
Paprika: www.etymonline...
Nutmeg: www.etymonline...
Clove: www.etymonline...
Cayenne: www.etymonline...
Anise: www.etymonline...
Basil: www.etymonline...
Parsley: www.etymonline...
Sage: www.etymonline...
Rosemary: www.etymonline...
Thyme: www.etymonline...
Oregano: www.nybg.org/b...
Coriander: www.etymonline...
Cilantro: www.etymonline...
What’s your favourite spice and herb?
My favorite is curry/curries. I realize that's technically a mixture and there are different kinds.
Is that cheating ?
Parsley
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Spice: black pepper of course but for a more interesting answer, cardamom.
Herb: thyme
coriander and cilantro are the same thing, except they aren’t. depending on where you live they are the same thing, or cilantro specifically means the leaves and coriander specifically the seeds.
Came here to say this. They also taste nothing alike. I love coriander (the seed), but can't stand the cilantro (the leaf).
Agree. In most of the US the Spanish "Cilantro" refers specifically to the leaves of the plant while "Coriander" refers to the (often ground) seeds of the same plant. They do indeed taste quite different and some people may not even know they derive from the same plant. This can result in confusion when reading recipes from areas of the world with a stronger British English influence. For example it would be highly unusual for a USA-ian to give an instruction like "garnish with coriander".
@jonathanmitchell2040 the seed and the leaves are completely different ingredients, and that's true for most, if not all, plants.
I almost choked on my breakfast at OnlyNouns
Did u put cumin on your breakfast?
In German, Paprika means both bell peppers and the spice, although you can also refer to the spice as Paprikapulver (bell pepper powder).
In Hungarian too, paprika refers to the spice form and the fresh (botanically) fruit.
Source: I'm Hungarian.
In Switzerland Paprika is solely used to name the powder. For the bell peppers we use word Peperoni, based in the Italian word. At least in the German speaking part of the country.
Turmeric is unlikely to come from Latin as its name in Latin-based languages all share the Latin base of curcuma.
Same in Norwegian.
In Czech paprika means the spice, bell peppers and normal peppers
My favorite spice-related etymology is that garlic comes from gar-leek, that is, the leek whose leaves look like gars (spears).
The mace that one uses to repel an attacker is completely different from the spice mace.
That's true. The spice mace comes form a metal ball at the end of a shaft that you hit people's heads with.
@@sydhenderson6753😂
In Sweden both the spice and bell peppers are called Paprika
Fun fact: in Portuguese, cinnamon is still called “canela”
Similar in Dutch, kaneel.
@@MeteorMark Latvian too, kanēlis (kaneelis)
And the same in Swedish! Kanel is Swedish for cinnamon.
Spanish as well
And Cannelle in French
The words marjoram and oregano are used interchangeably in some parts of the world, and the plants are in the same genus, but they are not the same species. They have distinct flavors; marjoram plants are sometimes called "sweet marjoram", while oregano plants are sometimes called "wild marjoram".
Another reason why paprika has a Hungarian name is that the sweeter variation of this spice originated from Hungary. While the plant itself is South-American, in Hungary a genetic mutation appeared that made it sweet instead of hot.
Fun fact: in Hungarian cinnamon is fahéj, literally translated: tree bark.
Not sure how accurate that is though; you may be mon’ing up the wrong cinna with that comment.
I would translate _fahéj_ as tree peel, since _héj_ is usually used for the peel/skin of a fruit or vegetable (or an electron shell). Plain old tree bark would be _fakéreg_ .
In the US, coriander is the dried seed and cilantro is the leaves.
As a Canadian, I also differentiate between coriander (seeds) and cilantro (leaves). On the other hand, my British friends call both leaves and seeds coriander.
Indeed, people from the United Kingdom call that plant coriander. Actually, it is a good condiment used in chinese hot pot, though many people abhor its taste due to the pungent nature of plant.
The cilantro/ coriander thing is one of those fun divides in American and British English because of our close contact with Mexico. Coriander seed is used ground as a spice, and it's known as coriander even here in the United States where we call the leaf Cilantro. Sometimes it's a surprise to people that they're from the same plant, something that can't happen to you if you call them by the same name.
Nice Reference.
My favourite song from Parsely, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme is Homeward Bound
I, too, order my spices according to classic rock:
🎵Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme🎵
I like to organize my herbs and spices in alphabetical order. People ask me where I find the time. Between the tarragon and turmeric.
It's a more a folk song than classic rock, but I get why you put it that way
@@bj.brunerbro you’re right. A few minutes after posting that, I felt this nagging thought and checked some reputable music sites. Sure enough, it’s folk rock. I didn’t want to go back and edit it, but let the world know: *you are correct.*
Those four go great in a vegetable soup.
vsauce:
The german names are different for a part. I had to stop the video often to look up, which spice is talked about:
Spice - Gewürz
Herbs - Kräuter
Cumin - Kümmel
Turmeric - Kurkuma or Ingwer
Saffron - Safran
Cinnamon - Zimt (Wow, the english word is much longer than the german one)
Paprika - Paprika
Nutmeg - Muskatnuss
Mace - Mazis (I didn't knew that spice)
Cloves - Nelke or Gewürznelke
Cayenne - Cayennepfeffer
Star anise - Sternanis
Basil - Basilikum
Parsley - Petersilie
Sage - Salbei
Rosemary - Rosmarin
Thyme - Thymian
Oregano - Oregano
Marjoram - Majoram
Mint - Minze
Coriander / Cilantro - Koriander
Pepper - Pfeffer
Salt - Salz
I hope you dont mind but i did these in spanish to see if there are any similarities!(i am from usa)
Spice ->Especia
Herbs -> Hierba
Cumin -> Comino
Turmeric -> Curcuma
Saffron -> Azafran
Cinnamon -> Canela
Paprika -> Paprika or Pimenton (depends on location)
Nutmeg -> Nuez Moscada
Mace -> Mace
Cloves -> Clavo (so a nail/tack!)
Cayenne -> Pimenton(but im in the usa so ive also seen Cayenne)
Star anise ->Anis Estrellado
Basil -> Albahaca
Parsley -> Perejil
Sage -> Salvia
Rosemary -> Romero
Thyme -> Tomillo
Oregano - Oregano
Marjoram ->Mejorana
Mint -> Menta
Coriander / Cilantro -> Cilantro
Pepper -> Pimienta (pimiento is pepper, while chile is also pepper)
Salt -> Sal
Cumin is Kreuzkümmel, caraway is Kümmel. Turmeric is only Kurkuma, ginger is Ingwer.
What about the Dutch versions of the words:
Spice: Specerij
Herbs: Kruiden
Cumin: Comijn/Komijn
Turmeric: Kurkuma
Saffron: Saffraan
Cinnamon: Kaneel
Paprika: Paprika
Nutmeg: Nootmuskaat
Mace: Foelie
Cloves: Kruidnagel
Cayenne: Cayenne(peper)
Star Anise: Steranijs
Basil: Basilicum
Parsley: Peterselie
Sage: Salie
Rosemary: Rozenmarijn
Thyme: Tijm/Thijm
Oregano: Oregano
Marjoram: Majoraan/Marjolein
Mint: Munt
Coriander/Cilantro: Coriander/Koriander
Pepper: Peper
Salt: Zout
@@gemluka6666this is my favorite thread in these comments. So fascinating to see how the names are related, and how they are different! Thanks for adding the Dutch. The more I learn about languages, the more I see the common Germanic roots in Dutch and English. So interesting!
That is the most unique pronunciation of oregano I have ever heard
I'm a third generation spice merchant (and I'm about to take over our business next month!!!) This is so cool to see you talking about something i live my life doing!
Oh and now that I've finished the video, marjoram and oregano are different plants! Marjoram is actually very sweet m
Oh and now that I've finished the video, marjoram and oregano are different plants! Marjoram is actually very sweet m
Oh and now that I've finished the video, marjoram and oregano are different plants! Marjoram is actually very sweet m
Oh and now that I've finished the video, marjoram and oregano are different plants! Marjoram is actually very sweet m
Oh and now that I've finished the video, marjoram and oregano are different plants! Marjoram is actually very sweet m
7:46 I know it as aniseeds
It has all liquorice like taste quite nice to have in tea
Nice Simon & Garfunkle reference!
("Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme" is a line from the classic song "Scarborough Fair")
I was just going to say that!
@@fotostudiohangout I often end up humming that song while rummaging through my spice cabinet.
3:03 “Cumin has a very nutty taste” 😂😂😂 that has to be scripted!😂
I didn't get the joke, could you explain 😅 ?
@@Alexandre.Moonwell I'm with you; I'm lost. Perhaps it's a bit puerile/sexual, as in semen from testicles ... but that's my only guess. Even that is a stretch, given we say it like "q-men," which pretty much would ruin the joke if spoken, so... 🤷♀🤔
@@Alexandre.Moonwell Cum and Nut are slang words for semen
Cumin. Some people refuse to eat garlic or onions because it makes your breath smell. Well one day I eat so me Cumin chicken, I liked it. That night my wife woke me and kicked me out of bed and bedroom. Why? Because Cumin makes your whole body smell!
I am a fellow soap taster (a sentence I never thought I would need to formulate). Coriander, brussel sprouts, and asparagus, all taste like imperial leather to me.
@bubbles581 Interesting, the body does odd and random things.
Interesting! I also hate Cilantro, but I like Asparagus and Brussels sprouts. The latter two were a later addition to my meals, though, as they were not served when I was a kid. And both of them do need to be cooked correctly. It’s easy to overcook both of them and make them mushy and disgusting. I like my asparagus lightly steamed with lemon, and my Brussels sprouts roasted with olive oil and salt. Now I’m getting hungry … 😂 😋
As a half-Hungarian, I'm surprised few people know "Paprika" is of Hungarian origin.
Also, yes, I am hungry too.
Coriander and cilantro are the same plant, but cilantro is the herb that tastes soapy to some people from the leaves, and coriander is the seeds whole or ground into a powder.
Flat-leaf parsley do have broader, celery-like leaves, so it does make some sense that they were compared to that.
According to a botany professor I had, the curly-leaf parsley, which is at least more commonly used and grown in my country, is believed to have been developed to make edible parsley more distinct from fool's parsley AKA poison parsley, which is - as the name suggests - poisonous. Making edible parsley more distinct helped picking the right plant to avoid accidentally poisoning food.
0:10 No, I have all 3 shelves in a cupboard full of spices.. I gave up on keeping them organised in any neat way long ago, and now they are roughly sorted into 4 main boxes: "green spices" (i.e. herbs), "dark spices", "chilli" and "Indian", plus several other boxes for other stuff that doesn't fit neatly into the other named categories like sumak, MSG, and some boxes with larger bags of spices to refill the quick access spice jars that is on the kitchen bench below the cupboard. And the top shelf is filled with spice pastes, even larger bags of refill etc.
I used to have only the "green" and "dark" boxes, but they kept overflowing, so chili and Indian spices needed their own boxes.
yeah, the world of spices is large. I have one big drawer plus one shelf for spices and constantly try to keep them organized and stack them more efficiently so new spices will fit in... 😄
Same here, but I got a basket and tossed them all in it. It lives in the corner of the counter top.
The Asian super market where I shop has the spices arranged alphabetical. I tried this at home but did not have the space.
As An Indonesian...
I LOVE SPICES...
BUT I LOVE NUTMEG THE MOST! >;) (Nutmeg Is Indonesian)
As an arab I do love spice content
I will ad spices you didn't mention like lumi, cardamom, bay leafs, habba sauda، nutmeg and khaoljan.
bananas are my favourite herb often have them for breakfast
I use mace with meat dishes and nutmeg with things like squashes and cabbage. They're different, with mace having a umami flavor to it, but you can tell they're related. Both can be hallucinogens, but you need to eat a lot more than you're likely to use, like a whole nutmeg seed.
As an Indian person, I cannot live without my spices.
As a Sri Lankan, I agree.
wrdgaf❤
Oregano and marjoram are completely different plants, look completely different and in my opinion, have completely different flavors.
Yes nothing similar at all. Oregano and Mejram (i. e. Marjoram) as we call in in swedish are two different botanical plants.
funnily enough mexican oregano is more closely related to marjoram than regular oregano (despite its namesake)
The 'nails' from cloves are not fingernails, but rather the kind of nails that you use a hammer on; when not powdered they look like little nails. You didn't actually say one or the other.
And you can use them to tack pineapple rings to a ham before putting it in the oven.
Actually, they are flower buds
It's still called “nail (the one that goes with a hammer) spice” in Chinese, might be from a direct translation
I'm one of those that thinks cilantro tastes like soap. And no matter how hard I try, I can never pick it all out. Does no good to ask for your meal without it since everything is prepackaged. But, at least it's not as bad as bleu cheese... imho
Cilantro and Coriander come from the same plant, but different parts of the plant.
Cilantro is the leaves, while Coriander is a powder made from grinding the dried seeds of the plant.
Twitches a bit thinking about there being people active on the internet not old enough to remember the cinnamon challenge…that can’t have been *that* long ago, right? Feeling old now…
Ummmm what's the cinnamon challenge...
@@turtleburger200 Try and swallow a heaping tablespoon of cinnamon powder without drinking. Often caused coughing fits.
I'm old enough, but I never heard of it until now.
A very mean and dangerous prank. Where people choke and possibly vomit.
One plant provides both a herb and a spice, coriander, leaves are a herb, its seeds when ground make a spice.
Huh So thats why there's a connection on Mace and Pepper Spray
Mace is also the same plant that gives you nutmeg. Ironic one part is extra spicy the other is a smoother and tangy spice.
Is it a coincidence that there is a weapon called a mace?
I have heard the term Hungarian paprika here in Australia. I use turmeric in my cooking and yes it stains everything yellow you need to be careful with it like beetroot
We actually know where the word 'Anise' comes from.
'The name "anise" is derived via Old French from the Latin words anīsum or anēthum from Greek ἄνηθον ánēthon referring to dill.'
Dill being a word that refers to a herb that's in the family of (and as such related to) celery, carrots and parsley.
9:20 I was under the impression that Mint came from PIE via Mycenaean Greek
Minthe was the name of an underworld nymph who was one of Hades' lovers, but Persephone (or her mother Demeter, depending on the telling) turned her into the mint plant.
Are you going to Scarborough Fair Patrick?
Spicy content
Why
Can you do a video on all the names of dyes and pigments?
this video made me realize that a lot of spices are common names. perhaps people named their children after these spices to give them good fortune in their lives, or to express how much they valued their children?
5:16 The word Cinnamon comes from Hebrew, as it appears in Ex. 30:26 (before ancient Greek influence)
It's related to the word "cane", with "on" being a nominal suffix...
I hope people don't get "salty" about this video... 🤣🤣🤣
In the US, coriander comes from the seed and cilantro is the leaves and stems
It's pronounced p-uh-prik-uh. -Someone from Hungary.
Anís is the spanish name of the seed of Pimpinella anisum. Star anise is a reference due to simmilar taste.
Oregano and margarine are different species in the same genus. And yes, cilantro and coriander come from the same plants coriander is the seeds and cilantro is the leaves.
Fun Facts: Saffron comes from a flower it's the stamen (male part of the flower) that is the spice. Each plant only produces 1 flower a year, each flower only produces 3 stamen. The Saffron meaning gold makes sense because it's worth its weight in gold. It is the most expensive spice in the world.
The flavor/scent of coriander, is the same chemical compound Aldehyde that makes stink bugs stink. There was a study and many people say that they both smell similar.
It's the stigma, not the stamens.
@@tillandsiausneoides ah yes thank you, I was quite tired from a 12 hr shift at work. And had mixed up the names, I appreciate you.
Paprika isn't spicy. Most paprika sold in the UK is mixed with cayenne.
1:20 At this moment I had the realization that the words for spices and herbs are the same in Dutch
8:02 as far as I know, it's called "star anise" because is used as an anise (an herb) replacement; they have similar flavour profiles, but star anise's is stronger.
9:14 almost: same genus (Origanum), different species (majorana vs. vulgaris), similar taste. The name seems to come from Latin _amarăcus._
9:25 seemingly Greek μίνθα, from pre-Greek 𐀖𐀲 (mi-ta), meaning unknown.
9:37 coriander if ground seeds, cilantro if leaves.
And last, "salt" is at least of centum Indoeuropean origin, as attested by Latin sal, Classical Greek άλς, Russian sol' (as well as most slavic languages, save Ukrainian where it's sil') and Old English sealt, but from what I've seen it seems to como from proto-Indoeurpean *sal (which doesn't explain why it's "namak" in Hindi and Persian and "xwê" in both Kurdish languages).
I'm a huge herbophile/spiceophile, so I love this video! In fact, I'm going to save it so I can watch it again later. Woo hoo!
Okay, but how did Herb get his name?
Tumeric comes from a root as does ginger.
technically a rhizome, which is an underground stem.
Coriander is the seed, cilantro is the leaf. They are quite different
I think that's American usage. I think you can also use "coriander" to mean the leaves in British English.
Corriander can be used as both a herb 🌿 and a spice (seeds).
I wonder if herbs’ history isn’t as illustrious as spices because they’re less likely to be preserved in the archaeological record? A hard, dried seed is more likely to survive intact than a few flecks of green leaf.
The thumbnail gave me flashbacks to a certain 11 hour video I watched
Cilantro is the leaf coriander is the seed
Coriander has larger roots and smaller leaves. It is mainly used in cooking for the taste the roots. Cilantro has larger leaves and is usually used as garnish for the taste the fresh leaves impart
Looking at the 4 top center spices in the thumbnail, who else sang the refrain from "Scarborough Fair"?
Just me?
Grounded up? Or ground up? Is this a US vs England pronunciation thing?
Pepper comes from Tamil word Pipali. Oregano and Marjoram are 2 different species of plants in the same genus - Origanum. Origanum vulgare and Origanum majorana, respectively.
Fun fact: in hungarian, cinnamon is literally called "tree skin/peel"
But soap isn't a bad smell though?
Coriander is the ground seeds of the cilantro plant.
Marjoram and oregano are definitely different! Personally, I'm not a huge fan of oregano, outside of some tomato recipes; it's on the spicy side. It's fairly potent: a little goes a long way. Marjoram is sweeter, has more of a citrus note. I think it pairs great with rosemary and thyme. It's pretty subtle, so it's one of those ingredients best added near or at the end of cooking as lots of heat will basically destroy its flavor.
You are correct, using marjoram and thyme at the end of cooking, as part of a satchet, per se, is spot on. They are both delicate flavors. Sage can fall into this category as well but if I flavor with sage at the end I prefer to remove it (like you would do with bay leaves) and leave my guests wondering how I made the sauce (it will round the mid notes and bring up the lower mids).
Star Anis, I always thought this came from Aniseed, in Dutch "Anijs" (Ah, nice! 😉)
Famous in French Pernod or Greek Ouzo, the latter also contains Star Anis.
And in the Netherlands our famous (Beschuit met) Muisjes, either blue or pink, with an Aniseed in each.
And the Gestampte Muisjes & Anijsblokjes, all from De Ruiter 😉🇳🇱
You forgot the spice trade of the Dutch, and our normal food is still bland 😂
Luckily I eat a lot of Caribbean and international foods, much better and spicier 😉
And the Houses of Artreides & Harkonnen trade on a Galactic scale 😉
Thanks for all the info again!
OK I just found a new word that I’m in love with … MacGuffin
I have a question, whats a vegetable (by definition) and whats the name origin of it
Not the High Guardian Spice reference in the thumbnail 😭
3:02 I noticed that slight pause.
you should do name explain for the Burmese states
Fun(?) fact: in Hungarian clove is called szegfűszeg, which translates to nail of the nailgrass; very close to the french name. This also endlessly confused me as a child as no one ever uses the word szegfű, meaning nailgrass, so why do you have to specify that you mean the nail of the nailgrass?? I'll never know
Originally it's szekfű ( from szék/szik fű)="saline grass" not szegfű.
@@istvannemeth1026 Hm érdekes! Köszi ezt akkor rosszul tudtam
@@Muddrelks Szerintem, így hogy "szegfű", csak egypár évtizede írják.
@@istvannemeth1026 Most ahogy rakerestem, az etimologiai szotar szerint a szikfu vagy szekfu a kamilla regi neve, de a fuszernovenyre csak szegfu irasmodot talaltam. Egyre bonyolodik ez a dolog :D
@@Muddrelks Az etimológiai szótár magyarázatát kétségesnek vélem, ti. a "szegfűszeg" fűszernévből vonódott volna el. Egyrészt, az egy hármas szóösszetétel (szeg+fű+szeg), másrészt egy olyan virágról beszélünk, ami pont ott fordul elő, amire a neve is utal, ti. "szikes puszták füve"; azt meg gondolom nem kell magyarázni, hogy hol pont ilyen helyeken (is) éltek a magyarok ősei.
You forgot fennel and anise!
He had anise.
talk more about salt and pepper please!
There are tribes in the Amazon that are so far removed from the salt in the ocean that they found out that if you burn a specific grass, then strain those ashes thru a weave of that grass, then REBURN it and make those ashes into a paste it will provide juuuuuust enough salt to keep our red blood cells walls from disintegrating. The psychosis that comes on from lack of salt will cause people to kill their parents/spouses/children and cannibalize them - all for the salt in their bodies.
Salt is fucking rad! Table salts going to be shipped with us across the solar system, wherever we go, it's guaranteed humanity will have some
Interestingly enough, Cayenne also happens to be the French form of the name of the South American country, Guyana.
Cayenne is the capital of French Guiana. Must get confusing.
I misunderstood. The French name for the country of Guyana is Guyana. Cayenne may come from a Old French or Latin word for house, but it does sound like it could have come from "Guiana."
TIL that Brits pronounce the 'h' in 'herbs.'
They got defensive about dropping h’s and overcompensated.
Paprika is literally a Serbocroatian word borrowed into the Hungarian language when the plant reached Hungary through the Ottoman ruled Balkans in the 16th century, and ika/ka is literally one of Serbocroatian suffixes for something small and/or feminine. You either have no etymology, or if you do have one, it's lazy research and it's wrong, so no money for you.
TIL how they say "oregano" on the other side of the pond
Cilantro and coriander are the same. The reason the word cilantro is the most used in North America is because it's overly used in mexican cuisine, so the spanish name stuck with english speakers.
Describing a flavor as “earthy” doesn’t help me, as I haven’t tasted dirt for as long as I can remember.
Great, now I'm hungry!
nutmeg is great on rice pudding
Mint is just cold spicy
Just to be confusing; Thais call Tumeric "Cumin" and Cumin "Meela."
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@@mingfanzhang8927 #ARG
@@mingfanzhang8927 happy birthday 🎈🎊🎁🎉🎂
Hope that a 20 year old in the UK has heard the word meritorious before. Hope that was facetious.
Idk about your experience, but my experience thru public education didn't expose me to any real acknowledgement or praise, seemingly my leading my cohort in marks was independent such things - which is fitting as neither has the corporate world. A "service" Ive refused to carry on. A bunch of jaded, bitter old curmudgeons. I'm sure our guy here didn't need the dictionary to deduce the meaning/application of meritorious but I don't see what it has to do with his face...
(I'm kidding, I'm kidding, of course I know the pronunciation of facetious, I'd just wager a lot of people wouldn't)
quite spicy
“Oregan-O”?
oREgano pretty please.
He’s British and does names not accents.
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@@mingfanzhang4600 #Islam #ARG
@@mingfanzhang8927 #Islam
5:03 😂😂😂
you seem to have outdone KFC by covering _eighteen_ (or twenty? :P) herbs and spices instead of just eleven XDDDD
Are you forgetting the Spice Girls?
Rosemary