cucumber

The story

1. substrate · derived from
2. Latin · derived fromcucumis, cucumerem
3. Old French · derived fromcocombre
4. Middle English · inherited fromcucumer
5. English todaycucumber

From Middle English cucumer, cucumber, from Old French cocombre, ultimately from Latin cucumis, cucumerem (possibly through an Old Occitan intermediate). Probably of Pre-Italic substrate origin. First attested in the late 14c. Displaced native English earthapple (see which for more), which has since acquired other senses.