Etymology Dictionary

SALMAGUNDI,  a seasoned hodge-podge or mixture.  (F.,—Ital.,—L.)   'Salmagnundi, or Salmigund, an Italian dish made of cold turkey, anchovies, lemmons, oil, and other ingredients; also, a kind of hotch-potch or ragoo,' &c.; Phillips, ed. 1706.   But the word is French.—F. salmigondis; spelt salmigondin in Cotgrave, who describes the dish.   β. Etym. disputed; but probably of Ital. origin, as stated by Phillips.   We may fairly explain it from Ital. salame, salt meat, and condito, seasoned.   This is the more likely, because the Ital. salame would make the pl. salami, and this was once the term in use.   Thus Florio has:  'Salámi, any kinde of salt, pickled, or powdered meats or souse,' &c.   γ. This also explains the F. salmis (nto in Cotgrave), which has proved a puzzle to etymologists; I think we may take salmis (= salted meats) to be a double plural, the s being the F. plural, and the i the Ital. plural; that is, the Ital. salami became F. salmi, and then the s was added.   δ. The derivation of Ital. salami is clearly from Lat. sal, salt, though the suffix is obscure.   The F. -gondi, for Ital. condito (or pl. conditi), is from Lat. conditus, seasoned, savoury, pp. of condire, to preserve, pickle, season.   Thus the sense is 'savoury salt meats.'