# What is the Origin of the word "Kosh" ?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-the-word-kosh/231447>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 27, 2004, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-the-word-kosh/231447 "2004-02-27T11:20:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Achilles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dc4da7/32.png) [@Achilles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achilles)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2004, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-the-word-kosh/231447/1 "2004-02-27T11:20:21Z")

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As in “to be under the kosh”…

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**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2004, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-the-word-kosh/231447/2 "2004-02-27T11:27:30Z")

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You spelled it wrong: it’s ‘cosh’:

and [dictionary.com](http://dictionary.com) says: [Perhaps from Romany kosh, stick.]

Not sure about kibosh, though…

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**Author:** ![Achilles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dc4da7/32.png) [@Achilles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achilles)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2004, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-the-word-kosh/231447/3 "2004-02-27T11:34:48Z")

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At least it isn’t solved as easily as the Kibosh conundrum…

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**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2004, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-the-word-kosh/231447/4 "2004-02-27T13:52:23Z")

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My dictionary is more sure of itself - no “probably” about it:

> [@](#):
>
> **HISTORY:** C19; from Romany _kosh_, from _koshter_: skewer, stick.

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**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\
**Post date:** [February 28, 2004, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-the-word-kosh/231447/5 "2004-02-28T03:45:26Z")

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The Shadows really skewered Kosh.