Vol. 09 · Loanwords ·Japanese ·1860s
Miso
from 味噌 (miso)
- Meaning
- A fermented soybean paste used in Japanese cooking.
- Source word
- 味噌 (miso)
- Route into English
- Japanese *miso* (from an older *mi-su*, itself possibly from Korean). → English in the 19th century through diplomatic and trade contact; now mainstream in Western supermarkets.
- Arrived
- 1860s
From Japanese
Two waves — Meiji-era diplomatic contact (1850s–1900s) and post-war US military presence (1945–) account for almost all Japanese loans in general English.
English borrows.
Browse the full loanword atlas or explore another source language.