What is the origin of the word waffle?

Answer 1

The modern waffle has its origins in the wafers - very light thin crisp cakes, baked between wafer-irons - of the Middle Ages. Wafer irons consisted of two metal plates connected by a hinge, with each plate connected to an arm with a wooden handle. The iron was placed over a fire, and flipped to cook both sides of the wafer. These irons were used to produce a variety of different flat, unleavened cakes (usually from a mixture of barley and oats, not the white flour used today). In 14th century England, wafers were sold by street vendors called waferers. The modern waffle is a leavened form of wafer. "Wafer" and "waffle" share common etymological roots. Wafre (wafer) occurs in Middle English by 1377, adopted from Middle Low German wâfel, with change of l into r. Modern Dutch wafel, French gaufre, and German Waffel, all meaning "waffle", share the same origin. The Dutch form, wafel, was adopted into modern American English as waffle, in the 18th century. Wikipedia.org. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waffle. 16 Dec 2008.