The Fun Truth About British and American Food Names

The article Why Do The U.S. And The U.K. Use Different Names For The Same Foods? shares great facts. Walking into a British grocery store can feel incredibly confusing. Even though we share a language, our food vocabulary differs. History, trade routes, and immigration changed how we talk. Let’s look at a few examples from Dictionary Scoop.

First, consider the classic breakfast meat. Americans say “sausage,” which comes from the Latin word for salted. The British call them “bangers.” This funny name started during World War I meat shortages. Sausages were stuffed with water and cheap starches. They would pop and bang when cooked in hot pans.

What about sweet baked goods? Americans eat “cookies,” a term brought by Dutch settlers in New York. The British eat “biscuits.” That word comes from Latin for “twice-cooked.” It described hard breads made for long sea voyages.

Vegetable names are also very different across the pond. Americans say “eggplant” because early varieties looked like white eggs. The British use “aubergine,” a word passed through French and Arabic. Another example is the green summer squash. Americans use “zucchini,” an Italian loanword. The British say “courgette,” which is a French loanword. Both words simply mean “little gourd.”

Have you ever ordered a salad with peppery greens? Americans call it “arugula,” from Italian dialects. The British call it “rocket,” which comes from French. Both terms actually stem from the same ancient Latin word.

What about a side of fried potatoes? Americans order “French fries,” named for the technique of slicing vegetables. The British call those same hot strips “chips.” To describe thin, bagged potato slices, the British coined “crisps.”

What about green onions? Americans use the word “scallion,” tracing back to an ancient Levant port city. The British prefer “spring onion,” referencing the harvest season.

What about the popular herb used in salsa? Americans use “cilantro” for the leaves, which is the Spanish word. The British call the whole plant “coriander,” referencing the Greek word for bug. This likely nods to the pungent aroma of fresh leaves.

What about cured pork from a pig’s hind leg? Americans simply say “ham,” tracing back to an Old English word for the knee. The British use “gammon” for the raw cured cut, derived from the French word for leg.

Ice cream toppings are equally split. Americans use “sprinkles,” referencing the verb to scatter. The British call them “hundreds & thousands.” This perfectly describes the sheer multitude of tiny sugar beads.

Language is a living, breathing thing. Our food names show centuries of unique cultural journeys. Next time you travel, you will know exactly what to order!

Sources:

• Dictionary Scoop: Why do the U.S. and the U.K. use different names for the same foods?