באָרשט

Yiddish

Etymology

From an East Slavic language (likely Russian борщ (boršč) or Ukrainian борщ (boršč)), from Proto-Slavic *bъrščь, originally meaning “hogweed”, then “hogweed soup”, later “beet soup”, from Proto-Balto-Slavic *burkstis, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰers- (“tip, top”).

Source of final intrusive ־ט (-t) is uncertain; possibly assimilatory or emphatic, and/or perhaps influenced by געבאָרשטן (geborshtn), past participle of באַרשטן (barshtn, “to brush”).

Noun

באָרשט • (borsht) m, plural באָרשטן (borshtn)

borscht (beet soup)

Descendants

→ English: borscht