sesame

Sesame was the Mesopotamian 'oil plant', Akkadian šamaššammū. The name reached Greek by the Mycenaean age, while Aramaic passed its own form to Arabic and Hebrew; Galland's French 'Sésame, ouvre-toi' put it in every language of Europe, 'Open sesame!' made it an everyday English word, and Sesame Street brought it into every living room.

Weakest linkProbable

The road to English

From Akkadian to Mishnaic Hebrew

From Akkadian to Jewish Babylonian Aramaic, Arabic

From Mishnaic Hebrew to Modern Hebrew

From Ancient Greek to Modern Greek

From Latin to French

From French to Russian

From Latin to German

From English to American English

1800 BCEAkkadian

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

Trade, money & letters