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Cilantro is the Spanish word for coriander. My speculation is that cilantro/coriander leaves entered the American mainstream via their use in Mexican food, whi
by xenocyon 7y ago
Cilantro is the Spanish word for coriander.
My speculation is that cilantro/coriander leaves entered the American mainstream via their use in Mexican food, which is why the Spanish word stuck when it comes to the leaves. But I could be wrong.
- desert_boi 7y agoCilantro is indeed from Spanish and a later borrowing. https://www.etymonline.com/word/cilantro#etymonline_v_13705 https://www.etymonline.com/word/cilantro#etymonline_v_13705 And Coriander is from Old French https://www.etymonline.com/word/coriander?ref=etymonline_crossreference https://www.etymonline.com/word/coriander?ref=etymonline_cro... traced all the way back to > from Greek koriannon, often said by botanists to be related to koris "bedbug" from the bad smell of the unripe fruit, or perhaps it is a non-Indo-European word conformed to the Greek insect name.