Shashlyk
/ˈʃæʃlɪk/noun
A dish of marinated meat grilled on skewers, especially associated with Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia.
Did you know?Shashlyk spread into Russian from Turkic-speaking regions, where skewering and open-fire cooking were deeply embedded in nomadic and pastoral food traditions.
Etymological Timeline
Early Turkic
Turkic
şış
“A spit, skewer, or pointed rod”
Ottoman Turkish
Turkish
şiş
“A spit or skewer used for roasting meat”
Ottoman Turkish
Turkish
şişlik
“Something made with or associated with a skewer”
18th–19th Century
Crimean Tatar
şışlıq
“Skewered meat or a dish prepared on a spit”
19th Century
Russian
шашлык (shashlyk)
“Pieces of meat grilled on a skewer”
20th Century
English
shashlyk
“A transliterated name for skewered grilled meat”
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