一种印度香料植物根,可能来自法语 terre merite,借自拉丁语 terra merita,有价值的土,来自 terra,泥土,词源同 terrain,merita,价值,词源同 merit.比喻用法。
英文词源
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."