Chocolate

The word chocolate ("cacao-based drink" first attested ) comes from Nahuatl <chocolatl>, which in turn comes, by way of anticipatory vowel assimilation of i to o, from earlier /tʃikola:tl/ a form still attested in some Nahuatl varieties.

The original form chikolatl was first suggested by Dakin & Wichmann (2000) who argued the drink was named after a chicol-stick used to beat the chocolate drink until it becomes foamy.

In spite of the fact that Wixárika has the word tsíkurati "chocolate", this word cannot be reconstructed for PCN, as the Wixárika word is most likely a Nahuan loan (because of the presence of the -ti, which corresponds to the Nahuatl absolutive suffix). The form of the Wixárika word nevertheless strengthens the argument for an original form with the vowel /i/ in the first syllable.

There is a persistent claim that the Nahuatl source of chocolate is a word xocolatl or xocoatl - this is false. Xocolatl is not attested in any original source, and xocoatl is attested by Molina but refers to a sour maize-based drink.