Mattar
/ˈmætər/noun
A green pea, especially in South Asian English usage.
Did you know?“Mattar” is a spelling variant of “matar,” familiar from dishes such as mattar paneer, and its deeper connection to Sanskrit is documented but not entirely certain.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Sanskrit
Sanskrit
maṭara
“A pea or pea-like plant; commonly proposed as the early source of the South Asian word.”
Medieval Indo-Aryan
Prakrit
maṭara
“A pea or leguminous seed, continuing the older South Asian plant name.”
Medieval Hindi
Hindi
मटर (maṭar)
“A pea; the ordinary Hindi word for the vegetable.”
19th Century
Anglo-Indian English
matar
“A pea, adopted into English descriptions of South Asian food and agriculture.”
Modern English
English
mattar
“A variant spelling of matar, especially seen in names of Indian dishes such as mattar paneer.”