köken: From earlier aneldo, inherited from Old Spanish aneldo, from Vulgar Latin *anēthulum (after metathesis), diminutive of Latin anēthum, from Ancient Greek ἄνηθον (ánēthon). Cognate with Portuguese endro.
köken: Possibly a substrate word. Alternatively, it may be ultimately linked to Ancient Greek μάραθον (márathon, “fennel”), but is not a direct derivation. Compare Albanian mërajë.
Listed in Japanese sources as arising from Dutch dilla, more correctly spelled dille. The kanji spelling for the Japanese term jira appears to be an orthographic borrowing from Chinese 蒔蘿 (“dill”). That said, it is possible that the plant and term may have been known directly from Chinese sources, considering the use of dill in Chinese medicine. Attested in a pharmaceutical reference from 1778.…