English
tomatillo
Tomatillo comes from Spanish tomate ‘tomato’, and goes back to Proto-Nahuan *toma-tl.
- Proto-Nahuanprehistoric (reconstructed)*toma-tlreconstructed
- Classical Nahuatlc. 1300–1600tomatl‘a tomatillo, solanaceae family’
- Spanishc. 1500–presenttomate‘tomato’
- Spanish, derivedc. 1500–presenttomatillodiminutive of tomate
- Englishtodaysame form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Nahuanprehistoric (reconstructed)*toma-tlreconstructed
- Classical Nahuatlc. 1300–1600tomatl‘a tomatillo, solanaceae family’
- Spanishc. 1500–presenttomate‘tomato’
- Spanish, derivedc. 1500–presenttomatillodiminutive of tomate
- Englishtodaysame form
Every English word from Proto-Nahuan *toma-tl
Today it means
noun A plant of the nightshade family originating in Mexico, Physalis philadelphica, cultivated for its tomato-like green to green-purple fruit surrounded by a thin papery skin.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Nahuan *toma-tl / tomatillo