Chayote

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A green, edible gourd that is part of the squash family, commonly used in various culinary dishes
2. An edible fruit of the plant species Sechium edule, often consumed cooked or raw in salads and stews
3. A pear-shaped vegetable that has a mild taste, frequently eaten in Latin American cuisine and praised for its nutritional benefits

Etymology: The chayote is a vegetable whose name travelled from the Aztec heartland to the Spanish court and back again. Its ancestor word is Classical Nahuatl "chayohtli", the name used by the Nahuatl speakers of central Mexico for the plant, which was cultivated there long before the Spanish arrived. Spanish speakers adopted it as "chayote", and English then borrowed the Spanish form. The vegetable itself is a squash, and the word has nothing to do with pears despite the fruit's shape. The English name keeps the Spanish pronunciation and spelling, which is why it looks so unlike most English food words. Anyone who has seen the plant in a market will recognise the connection between its Nahuatl and Spanish names, since both point to a single native Mexican crop.