Unagi
/uːˈnɑːɡi/noun
A freshwater eel, especially one prepared as a Japanese food.
Did you know?The Japanese word unagi is very old, but scholars have not established a secure connection to any known external language family or deeper root.
Etymological Timeline
Old Japanese
Japanese
unagi
“Freshwater eel; the earliest known form of the word”
Classical Japanese
Japanese
うなぎ
“Eel, written in kana”
Early Modern Japanese
Japanese
鰻 / うなぎ
“Eel; 鰻 is the Chinese-derived character used to represent the native word”
20th Century
English
unagi
“A Japanese loanword for eel, particularly in culinary contexts”
Modern English
English
unagi
“Freshwater eel or a dish made from it, commonly grilled and glazed”