sirloin

sirloin
\ \ [16] One of the oldest of etymological chestnuts is that sirloin got its name because a particular English king found the joint of beef so excellent that he knighted it. The monarch in question has been variously identified as Henry VIII, James I, and Charles II, but while the first of these is chronologically possible, in fact the story has no truth in it at all. The more sober facts are that the word was borrowed from Old French *surloigne, a compound formed from surabove’ and loigneloin’ (source of English loin). The spelling sir- (first recorded in the 18th century) no doubt owes something to the ‘knighting’ story.
\ \ Cf.LOIN, LUMBAR

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • sirloin — UK [ˈsɜː(r)ˌlɔɪn] / US [ˈsɜrˌlɔɪn] or sirloin steak UK / US noun [countable/uncountable] Word forms sirloin : singular sirloin plural sirloins an expensive piece of beef taken from a cow s lower back …   English dictionary

  • Sirloin — Sir loin , n. [A corruption of surloin. Not so called because this cut of beef was once jocosely knighted (dubbed Sir Loin) by an English king, as according to a popular story.] A loin of beef, or a part of a loin. [Written also {surloin}.] [1913 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • sirloin — early 15c., surloine, from M.Fr. surlonge, lit. upper part of the loin, from sur over, above + longe loin, from O.Fr. loigne (see LOIN (Cf. loin)). English spelling with sir dates from 17c., supposedly because the cut of beef was knighted by an… …   Etymology dictionary

  • sirloin — ► NOUN ▪ the choicer part of a loin of beef. ORIGIN Old French, above the loin …   English terms dictionary

  • sirloin — [sʉr′loin΄] n. [Early ModE surloyn < MFr surlonge < OFr sur, over (see SUR 1) + loigne, LOIN] a choice cut of meat, esp. of beef, from the loin end just in front of the rump …   English World dictionary

  • sirloin — [[t]sɜ͟ː(r)lɔɪn[/t]] sirloins N VAR A sirloin is a piece of beef which is cut from the bottom and side parts of a cow s back. ...fresh beef sirloin steaks …   English dictionary

  • sirloin — noun Sirloin is used before these nouns: ↑steak …   Collocations dictionary

  • sirloin — sir|loin [ˈsə:lɔın US ˈsə:r ] n also .sirloin steak [U and C] [Date: 1400 1500; : Old French; Origin: surlonge, from sur above + loigne, longe ( LOIN)] a good quality piece of ↑beef which is cut from the lower part of a cow s back …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • sirloin — sir|loin [ sɜr,lɔın ] or ,sirloin steak noun count or uncount an expensive piece of BEEF taken from a cow s lower back …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • sirloin — [16] One of the oldest of etymological chestnuts is that sirloin got its name because a particular English king found the joint of beef so excellent that he knighted it. The monarch in question has been variously identified as Henry VIII, James I …   The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins

  • sirloin — also sirloin steak noun (C, U) expensive meat cut from a cow s lower back …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”