Callaloo
/ˌkæl.əˈluː/noun
A Caribbean leafy green vegetable, often also referring to a soup or stew made with it.
Did you know?Callaloo refers to different leafy plants in different Caribbean regions—often taro leaves, amaranth, or water spinach—so the word names a culinary tradition as much as one species.
Etymological Timeline
Uncertain; premodern West Africa or the Caribbean
Uncertain
Possible source forms related to kalalú or kalalou
“The ultimate origin is disputed; proposed connections include West African languages, but no single source has been conclusively established.”
16th–17th Century
Spanish
calalú
“A Caribbean leafy plant or dish, recorded in Spanish colonial contexts.”
17th–18th Century
French Caribbean
calalou
“A leafy vegetable and the soup or stew prepared from it.”
18th Century
English Caribbean
callaloo
“A Caribbean green vegetable or a dish made from leafy greens.”
Modern English
English
callaloo
“A Caribbean plant, leafy vegetable, or thick soup or stew, with regional meanings varying across the islands.”