Disputed etymology: *Stemming from its shape, derived from Ottoman Turkish شماندره (şamandara, şamandra, şamandıra, “buoy”), hence a doublet of شَمَنْدُورَة (šamandūra, “buoy”). *Alternatively, ultimately from Sumerian 𒌑𒁁𒁯 (šumundar, “beetroot, red-plant”), with an uncertain etymological chain, as the Akkadian 𒌑𒁁𒁯 was likely read šumuttu. See Classical Syriac ܨܩܢܕܪ (ṣqndr), ܣܡܰܛܪܳܝܳܐ (səmaṭrāyā), Kurdish çewender, چەوەندەر (çewender) with possible connections to Persian چغندر (čoġondar) and the dialect variant Persian چندر (čondor), or even Sanskrit चन्द्र (candra, “red pearl”).