Gombo
/ˈɡɒm.boʊ/noun
A West African plant cultivated for its edible seed pods, also called okra.
Did you know?English gombo is a borrowing tied to West African languages and the same plant that gave rise to the global name okra; its journey reflects the hidden African roots of everyday food words.
Etymological Timeline
African languages (pre-colonial)
African
gombo
“A local name for the edible pod plant now widely known as okra”
17th-18th Century
French
gombo
“Borrowed colonial-era form used for the plant in French-speaking contexts”
18th-19th Century
English
gombo
“Entered English as a regional or borrowed name for okra”
Modern English
English
gombo
“A less common English word for okra”