cider

The Bible's word for 'strong drink' — Hebrew šēkār — was carried through Greek and Latin scripture into French, where it narrowed to fermented apple juice and crossed to England; French cidre then went on to Russia and Japan, while English cider became a Japanese and Korean name for fizzy lemonade.

Weakest linkProbable

The road to English

From Biblical Hebrew to Modern Hebrew

From Old French to French

From French to Italian

From French to Russian

From French to Japanese

From Late Latin to Old Spanish, Spanish

From English to American English

From English to Japanese, Korean

3000 BCEProto-Semitic

Hops are evenly spaced; labels show the year each form is first attested.

From names to wordsTrade, money & letters