Gammon
/ˈɡæm.ən/noun
Cured meat from the hind leg of a pig, especially when sold as a joint.
Did you know?The English word likely came through Old French and ultimately from a Germanic root related to “thigh” or “ham,” not from anything mystical — but it’s a perfect example of how everyday food words can survive centuries of brutal, practical history.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*hamma-
“hind part or ham”
Old French
OF
gambe
“leg, hind leg”
Middle English
ME
gamoun/gammon
“the hind leg or haunch of an animal”
Early Modern English
English
gammon
“a cured ham or ham joint”
Modern English
English
gammon
“cured meat from the hind leg of a pig”