porridge (French)
Where does "porridge" come from?
The word porridge originated as a variant of the Middle English pottage, referring to a thick stew, and was further influenced by the term porray. Over time, the dish became a breakfast staple in Britain, eventually lending its name to prison sentences due to the long-standing tradition of serving it to inmates.
Full etymology tree
- porridge (French), 'porridge'
- borrowed porridge (English), 'A dish made of grain or legumes, milk or water, heated and stirred until thick and typically eaten for breakfast.'
- contraction pottage (English), 'A thick soup or stew, made by boiling vegetables, grains, and sometimes meat or fish, a staple food throughout Europe in the Middle Ages.'
- influence porray (English), 'A medieval pudding or stew of leeks and other vegetables (and sometimes meat) simmered in fresh almond milk and/or meat broth.'
- borrowed porridge (English), 'A dish made of grain or legumes, milk or water, heated and stirred until thick and typically eaten for breakfast.'
Ancestors
- porridge (English)
Updated July 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris