gumbo
UK[ˈɡʌm.bəʊ]US[ˈɡʌm.boʊ]
n
a soup or stew of southern us origin, thickened with okra pods or filé powder and containing meat, seafood, or vegetables.
n
okra, the plant or its edible pods used especially as a thickening agent.
n
a fine, silty soil that becomes sticky and impervious when wet.
Etymology
the word "gumbo" entered english in the early 19th century from louisiana creole, where it referred to the okra plant. the creole term derived from a central bantu language word for okra, specifically the kilongo term "ki-ngombo" or the umbundu term "ochinggômbo." this african origin reflects the plant's introduction to the americas via the transatlantic slave trade. in louisiana, the name was transferred from the key thickening ingredient to the hearty stew itself, and later, by metaphorical extension, to the region's characteristic sticky soil, which resembles the stew's consistency.
Analysis
this word is a loanword from a creole language and is not productively formed from separable english morphemes.
Examples
we enjoyed a spicy shrimp and sausage gumbo for dinner.
she grows gumbo in her garden to use in her recipes.
the heavy rain turned the path into a mess of impassable gumbo.