The word 'teff' entered the English lexicon in the late 19th century as a direct borrowing from Amharic, the official language of Ethiopia. Its Amharic source, "ṭäff", refers specifically to the grain itself, which has been a staple food in the Horn of Africa for millennia. The term's journey into English reflects the global exchange of agricultural products and the specific cultural importance of this crop. As a loanword, its form is not composed of separable Greek or Latin morphemes but is adopted as a whole unit to name a distinct biological and culinary entity.

The word 'teff' is a simplex loanword. It originates from the Amharic language of Ethiopia, where it is called "ṭäff". The term was borrowed directly into English, retaining its original spelling and pronunciation.