soul cake

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*seu-
2. Proto-Germanic · derived from*suflą“entremets, viands”
3. Old English · derived fromsufel
4. Middle English · derived fromsǒuel
5. English todaysoul cake

Probably from Middle English sǒuel, souvel, suvel (“food eaten with bread; food in general”), from Old English sufel, sufol (“anything (especially relish) eaten with bread; sowl”), from Proto-Germanic *suflą (“entremets, viands”), from Proto-Indo-European *seu-, *sew- (“juice; moisture; rain”). + cake. The practice of begging for a soul cake is related to begging for condiments (sowl or soul) from wealthy neighbours, with a Christian re-interpretation.

Words from the same roots