samosa
UK[səˈməʊsə]US[səˈmoʊsə]
n
A small triangular fried pastry containing spiced vegetables or meat.
Etymology
The word 'samosa' entered English from the Hindi and Urdu languages, which themselves borrowed it from the Persian 'sanbosag'. This Persian term traces its lineage further back to the Arabic 'sambusak', a word for a similar filled pastry. The ultimate origin is thought to be the Persian 'sanbos', meaning 'triangular'. The culinary concept traveled widely across Central Asia, the Middle East, and Africa before becoming a staple snack in the Indian subcontinent and, subsequently, in global cuisine. Its journey into English reflects the language's history of absorbing cultural terms through trade and colonial exchange.
Analysis
The word 'samosa' is a simplex loanword from Hindi/Urdu. It does not contain separable morphemes within the context of English spelling. Its functional role is as a single lexical unit.
Examples
I bought three vegetable samosas from the market for a quick snack.
The spicy potato filling is my favorite part of a well-made samosa.
They served mint chutney as an accompaniment to the hot samosas.