Everyday LifeGreek → English
Cilantro
/sɪˈlɑːntroʊ/noun
The fresh leaves of the coriander plant, in American usage.
The Greek roots
κορίαννον
koríannon
coriander
Literally: “coriander”
Follow a root:κορίαννον2 words
The story of the word
The Greek κορίαννον is old enough to appear on Mycenaean Linear B tablets as ko-ri-ja-da-na, which makes it one of the oldest recorded plant names in Europe. Latin coriandrum became Spanish cilantro, and American English took the Spanish word for the leaf while keeping coriander for the dried seed. British kitchens never made that split, which is why a British recipe asks for fresh coriander.
- How it travelled
- Ancient Greek → Latin → Spanish → American English
- First recorded
- 20th century
In a sentence
Chop the cilantro last so it does not go black in the bowl.