Related to cooking, kitchens, or the preparation of food.
From Latin 'culinarius,' derived from 'culina' (kitchen). The word entered English from Old French 'culinaire' in the 17th century.
The word 'culinary' comes from Latin 'culina' (kitchen), the same root as 'column,' because ancient Roman kitchens had a column-like structure for the hearth and smoke—totally different origins for words we often see together.
Cooking was professionalized and celebrated as an art form (chefs) when dominated by men, while domestic cooking by women was relegated to unpaid labor and undervalued skill.
Use neutrally when discussing professional cooking, but acknowledge that home cooks—historically women—developed and preserved most culinary traditions.
Women's contributions to culinary innovation, recipe development, and food tradition preservation were historically invisible despite being foundational to culinary heritage.
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