Ketchup

According to the AHD, the word we use to describe our beloved potato-dipping sauce probably comes from from the Cantonese dialect of Chinese, from a word kechap.  However, it was originally a fish sauce containing brine, herbs and spices.  Our dictionary mentions that it was probably taken by sailors to the European mainland, where it was then made with local ingredients.  In the 18th and 19th centuries, the word ketchup was used generally to refer to sauces that were made with vinegar before our current tomato version was adopted.  The first recorded use of the word in English was in 1690, and is still currently used with three spelling variations-- catchup, ketchup, and catsup.  I'm really kind of thankful that we don't dip our fries or spread our hamburger buns with fish sauce!