English
masala chai
Masala chai comes from Hindi मसाला चाय ‘masala chai, a kind of South Asian tea’, and goes back to Urdu مصالہ چای.
- Urdumodernمصالہ چایmasālā cāyliterally ‘spiced/seasoned tea’
- Hindic. 1500–presentमसाला चायmasālā cāy‘masala chai, a kind of South Asian tea’
- Englishtodaymasala chai
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Urdumodernمصالہ چایmasālā cāyliterally ‘spiced/seasoned tea’
- Hindic. 1500–presentमसाला चायmasālā cāy‘masala chai, a kind of South Asian tea’
- Englishtodaymasala chai
The story
Borrowed from Hindi मसाला चाय (masālā cāy) / Urdu مصالہ چای (masālā cāy, literally “spiced/seasoned tea”).
Every English word from Urdu مصالہ چای
Today it means
noun A South Asian beverage of black tea brewed in milk and water and then sweetened with sugar, with the addition of aromatic herbs and spices.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Urdu مصالہ چای / masala chai