Caraway #

Illustration of Carum carvi L. from Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen (1887)

Caraway (Carum carvi L.) is a culinary spice from the Apiaceae family,¹ originating in the region(s) of Mediterranean; Eurasia.² It is used for its fruit, primarily for breads, sausages, cheese; carminative. Its aroma is described as warm, sweet, anise-like, with a heat index of 1.³

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Etymologies #

English caraway ‘caraway’, ca. 1440 < Medieval Latin carui ‘caraway’, or some allied Romanic form, ca. 1080; cf. cognates French carvi, Italian carvi, Spanish carvi; Old Spanish alcaravea, alcarahueya, Portuguese alcaravia, alcorovia < Arabic كراويا karāwiyā ‘caraway’, (loaned to some Eurropean languages with al- definite article, via Andalusian Arabic) < Aramaic / karwāyā ‘caraway’ < Ancient Greek καρώ karṓ ‘caraway’, a form of the word káron, derived from káre ‘head’; -ṓ form seems Pre-Greek (these forms could not immediately give the Arabic, hence possibly via *καρυΐα * karuḯa a typical plant derivation form of καρώ karṓ, κάρον káron); cf. cognates Latin carum, careum

Arabic karawiyā ‘caraway’, (loaned to some Eurropean languages with al- definite article; via Andalusian Arabic) < Aramaic / karwāyā ‘caraway’ < Ancient Greek καρώ karṓ ‘caraway’, a form of the word káron, derived from káre ‘head’; -ṓ form seems Pre-Greek (these forms could not immediately give the Arabic, hence possibly via *καρυΐα * karuḯa a typical plant derivation form of καρώ karṓ, κάρον káron); cf. cognates Latin carum, careum

Mandarin Chinese 葛縷子 gě​lǚ​zi ‘caraway’ [bean-hemp-seed? ], phono-semantic matching; see shilo ‘cumin and caraway’ < Japanese 葛縷子 karyuushi ‘caraway’, probably a transcription of Latin Carui, or English caraway + zi (also キャラウェイ kyarawei and 姫茴香 [princess-fennel-spice ]), 1822 < from English caraway ‘caraway’, ca. 1440 or from Medieval Latin carui ‘caraway’, or some allied Romanic form; cf. cognates French carvi, Italian carvi, Spanish carvi (whence Scots carvy, kervie), Old Spanish alcaravea, alcarahueya, Portuguese alcaravia, alcorovia < Arabic كراويا karāwiyā ‘caraway’, (loaned to some Eurropean languages with al- definite article; via Andalusian Arabic) < Aramaic / karwāyā ‘caraway’ < Ancient Greek καρώ karṓ ‘caraway’, a form of the word káron, derived from káre ‘head’; -ṓ form seems Pre-Greek (these forms could not immediately give the Arabic, hence possibly via *καρυΐα * karuḯa a typical plant derivation form of καρώ karṓ, κάρον káron); cf. cognates Latin carum, careum

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