queque (Spanish)
Where does "queque" come from?
The Spanish word 'queque' is a direct borrowing from the English 'cake,' reflecting a phonetic adaptation of the term into Spanish. The English word itself traces back to the Old Norse 'kaka' and the Proto-Germanic 'kakǭ,' describing a simple, rounded baked good. Over time, while still serving its culinary purpose, the term has evolved in various regions to also function as slang for the buttocks.
Full etymology tree
- queque (Spanish), 'cake'
- borrowed cake (English), 'A rich, sweet dessert food, typically made of flour, sugar, and eggs and baked in an oven, and often covered in icing.'
- inherited cake (Middle English), 'A cake (any sort of flat doughy food):'
- borrowed kaka (Old Norse), 'cake'
- inherited *kakǭ (Proto-Germanic), 'cake'
- borrowed kaka (Old Norse), 'cake'
- inherited cake (Middle English), 'A cake (any sort of flat doughy food):'
- borrowed cake (English), 'A rich, sweet dessert food, typically made of flour, sugar, and eggs and baked in an oven, and often covered in icing.'
Ancestors
- cake (English)
- kaka (Old Norse)
Cognates and doublets
- cake (Spanish)
Descendants and derived words
- quequito (Spanish)
Updated July 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris