PlacesMyths & disputes

coslettuce

Cos lettuce is named after the Greek island of Kos, from which the variety was said to have been brought; 'cos' is a clipping of 'Cos lettuce'.

Weakest linkProbable

The story you may have heard

A derivation from Arabic ḵass 'lettuce' circulates (the extracted draft gave it). Dictionaries (Merriam-Webster, Collins, Wiktionary's main account) trace cos to the island of Kos; no standard reference supports the Arabic link, which rests only on a chance likeness of sound.

The road to English

700 BCEAncient Greek

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

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