Kos
/kɒs/noun
Food, especially in South African English and Afrikaans-influenced usage.
Did you know?South African English kos comes from Afrikaans kos, ultimately related to Dutch kost and English cost, reflecting an old connection between provisions and what they required or were worth.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*steh₂-
“To stand; to remain firm or in place.”
Classical Latin
Latin
constāre
“To stand together or be fixed; later, to cost.”
Middle Dutch
Middle Dutch
cost / kost
“Food, provisions; also cost or expense.”
17th Century
Afrikaans
kos
“Food or provisions.”
20th Century
South African English
kos
“Food, adopted from Afrikaans usage.”