pilaf (English)

Where does "pilaf" come from?

The word 'pilaf' traces back to the Sanskrit word 'pulāka,' which referred to a lump of boiled rice and likely originated in Dravidian languages. It traveled through Hindi and Persian as 'pulāv' before arriving in English via Ottoman Turkish. This culinary term has preserved its roots by describing the same beloved dish of seasoned, cooked grain for centuries across diverse cultures.

Full etymology tree

• pilaf (English), 'A dish made by browning grain, typically rice, in oil and then cooking it with a seasoned broth, to which meat and/or vegetables may be added.'
  • borrowed pilav (Ottoman Turkish)
    • borrowed pilāw (Persian)
      • inherited pulāka (Sanskrit)
        • inherited puḻukku (Dravidian)
        • inherited puṟukkal (Dravidian)

Direct ancestors

• پلاو (Ottoman Turkish)
• پلاو (Persian)
• पुलाव (Hindi)
• पुलाक (Sanskrit)
• pilav (Turkish)

Updated June 2026

Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris