Skewer
/ˈskjuː.ər/noun
A long, thin rod used to hold pieces of food together for cooking or serving.
Did you know?Skewer comes from a word for a pin or nail, and English later specialized it into the long roasting spike we use today—proof that ordinary kitchen tools often begin as sharp little weapons.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*(s)keu-
“to cover, wrap, hide”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*skewō
“a nail, peg, or pin”
Middle Dutch
Middle Dutch
schuwer
“a pin or skewer”
Early Modern English
English
skewer
“a pin or pointed rod for fastening or piercing”
Modern English
English
skewer
“a long thin rod for holding food while cooking”