Gur

/ɡɜːr/ noun

Definition

A thick, dark molasses or treacle, particularly the unrefined sugar syrup used in South Asian cooking and traditional remedies.

Etymology

From Hindi 'gur' and Sanskrit 'guda,' meaning molasses or jaggery. The word entered English through trade routes in India and has been used since the 18th century to refer to the sticky byproduct of sugar refining common in South Asian cuisine.

Kelly Says

Gur represents how trade and colonial history shape our vocabulary—English speakers borrowed this word because British merchants needed a name for the exotic sweetener they encountered in India, and now it appears in English dictionaries as a testament to global food exchange.

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