Etymology

soul food

Today it means: Nourishment for the soul; spiritual sustenance. Full definition →

First used 10th c.
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The story

(food): Originated in the mid-1960s, when soul was commonly used to describe African-American culture.

First known use, by meaning

  • from 10th c. Nourishment for the soul; spiritual sustenance.
  • from 20th c. A style of food originating in the rural southern US, traditionally associated with African Americans.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.