balbacua

The story

1. Taíno · derived frombarbakoa“framework of sticks”
2. Spanish · derived frombarbacoa“slow-cooked meat on an open fire”
3. Cebuano · borrowed frombalbakuwa
4. English todaybalbacua

Borrowed from Cebuano balbakuwa, from Spanish barbacoa (“slow-cooked meat on an open fire”) (whence also the English doublet barbecue), from Taíno barbakoa (“framework of sticks”), the raised wooden structure the natives used to either sleep on or cure meat. The dish was likely named due to the similarity in the length of time in cooking and the tenderness of the meat. Compare Tagalog balbakwa, English barbacoa.

Words from the same roots