patty
UK[ˈpæti]US[ˈpæti]
n
A small, flat cake of minced or finely chopped food, especially meat.
n
A small, flat, round piece of food, such as a hamburger patty or a peppermint patty.
Etymology
The word 'patty' entered English in the early 18th century, derived from the French word 'pâté', which itself originates from the Old French 'paste', meaning a paste or pie filling. The English adaptation involved a phonetic and orthographic shift, adding the '-y' suffix common for forming diminutives or familiar terms. This transformation reflects the word's journey from describing a rich, ground meat paste encased in pastry to its modern, more specific meaning of a small, flattened cake of minced food, often cooked independently. The core semantic link remains the concept of a prepared, shaped mass of finely chopped ingredients.
Analysis
The word 'patty' is a simplex form. It is a loanword derived from the French 'pâté', meaning a paste or pie filling. The English form shows a diminutive shift in spelling and meaning.
Examples
She placed a beef patty on the grill for the hamburger.
The recipe calls for forming the mixture into small patties before frying.
He enjoyed a chocolate mint patty after dinner.