Bombay duck (English)
Where does "Bombay duck" come from?
The English term 'Bombay duck' has an uncertain origin[1]. Its first component may be a modification of the Marathi word 'bombīl', which serves as the local name for the fish[1]. Meanwhile, the second component has been dubiously associated through folk etymology with the word 'dak', referring to the Indian postal system[1].
Open questions
- The derivation of the first component from Marathi bombil and the folk etymological connection of the second component to dak are both uncertain or dubious. [1]
Sources
Updated September 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris