Shashlik
/ˈʃæʃ.lɪk/noun
A dish of marinated meat grilled on skewers, especially associated with Russia, Central Asia, and the Caucasus.
Did you know?Russian шашлык was popularized widely in the 19th century, although its linguistic roots reach back through Crimean Tatar to Turkic cooking vocabulary.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Turkic period
Proto-Turkic
*šiš
“A spit or skewer”
Medieval Turkic
Turkic
şiş
“A skewer or spit used for roasting meat”
Medieval period
Turkish
şişlik
“Something made or cooked on a skewer”
Medieval–Early Modern period
Crimean Tatar
şışlıq
“Skewered or roasted meat”
18th–19th Century
Russian
шашлык
“Meat grilled on skewers; shashlik”
Modern English
English
shashlik
“A dish of marinated meat cooked on skewers”
Explore more surprising origins