Chia
/ˈtʃiː.ə/noun
The small edible seed of Salvia hispanica, valued for its nutritional content and ability to form a gel when soaked.
Did you know?Chia was cultivated in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica and was important enough to appear in Aztec tribute records, where it was valued as food and possibly for ceremonial use.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Columbian period
Nahuatl
chian
“Oily; greasy, referring to the seed’s oil-rich character”
16th Century
Spanish
chía
“Chia plant or seed, adopted from Nahuatl after the Spanish conquest”
18th Century
New Latin
Salvia hispanica
“The botanical name for the chia plant”
Modern English
English
chia
“The edible seed of Salvia hispanica, commonly marketed as a health food”
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