Bottarga
/boʊˈtɑːr.ɡə/noun
Salted, cured fish roe, especially from tuna or grey mullet.
Did you know?Bottarga’s name is widely traced to Arabic and then Greek/Italian transmission, showing how medieval trade routes preserved not just food, but words.
Etymological Timeline
Arabic (medieval)
Arabic
بطارخ (buṭāriḫ)
“roe or fish eggs”
Medieval Greek
Greek
ᾠοτάριχον (ōotárikhon)
“salted fish roe”
Italian (medieval)
Italian
bottarga
“cured fish roe”
Modern English
English
bottarga
“salted, cured fish roe”