sago
UK[ˈseɪɡəʊ]US[ˈseɪɡoʊ]
n
A starchy substance in the form of hard white grains, obtained from the trunk of a sago palm and used in cooking for puddings and as a thickening agent.
Etymology
The word 'sago' originates from the Malay term 'sagu', referring to the palm tree and its edible starch. It was adopted into Portuguese as 'sagu' and into Dutch as 'sago' during the European colonial period in Southeast Asia, before entering English in the 16th century. The term traveled with the commodity itself, becoming the standard name for the starch extracted from the pith of various tropical palm stems. Its journey from a local Malay word to a global culinary ingredient exemplifies the transmission of material culture and language through trade.
Analysis
The word is a simplex loanword. It entered English as a single unit from Malay via Portuguese and Dutch.
Examples
The dessert was made with coconut milk and sago pearls.
Sago is often used as a thickening agent in soups and puddings.
They harvested the sago palm to process its starchy pith.