一種印度香料植物根,可能來自法語 terre merite,借自拉丁語 terra merita,有價(jià)值的土,來自 terra,泥土,詞源同 terrain,merita,價(jià)值,詞源同 merit.比喻用法。
英文詞源
turmeric (n.)
pungent powder made from the root of an East Indian plant, 1530s, altered from Middle English turmeryte (early 15c.), of uncertain origin, perhaps from Middle French terremérite "saffron," from Medieval Latin terra merita, literally "worthy earth," though the reason why it would be called this is obscure. Klein suggests it might be a folk-etymology corruption of Arabic kurkum "curcuma, saffron."