Etymologically
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garlic

Etymology and origin of the English word garlic

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Compound
First attested
c. 700
From
Old English gārlēac via Middle English

Pronunciation

  • IPA: UK /ˈɡɑː.lɪk/, US /ˈɡɑːr.lɪk/[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English garlek, inherited from Old English gārlēac,[2][3][4][5][6] a compound of gār (“spear”) and lēac (“leek”) (see gar and leek), from the shape of the cloves, which recall a spearhead.[2][3][6] The first part is cognate with Old High German gēr (“spear”) and Old Norse geirr, from Proto-Indo-European *ĝhaísos (see gore).[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

About 700, in early Mercian glossaries;[2] about 1000 in the OED.[7]

Semantic evolution

Middle English garleyc is from about 1150.[2] Particular species such as bear's garlic are named from 1538,[7] and a popular jig or farce of the early 17th century was called Garlic (1614).[7] Compounds such as garlic breath and garlic butter are from 1552,[7] and garlic bread by 1947.[3]

Timeline

  • c. 700 – gārlēac.[2]
  • c. 1150 – garleyc.[2]
  • 1538 – bear's garlic.[7]
  • 1552 – garlic breath, garlic butter.[7]
  • by 1947 – garlic bread.[3]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. A plant, Allium sativum, related to the onion, whose bulb divides into cloves.
  2. The bulb of this plant, with a strong smell and taste, used in cooking.
  3. Any of various related plants of the genus Allium.

Verb

  1. To flavour food with garlic.

Word family

  • garlicky
  • garlicked
  • garlic salt
  • leek
  • gore
  • gar

References

  1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
  3. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  6. ^ a b Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ a b c d e f Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press

Related etymologies

  • hint · also from Old English
  • reed · also from Old English
  • nest · also from Old English
  • lo · also from Old English
  • inn · also from Old English
  • toe · also from Old English
  • span · also from Old English
  • ninth · also from Old English
Cite this entry

“Garlic.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/garlic. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·