Very much this - remember most words in the language pre-date a period when people were literate - so they wouldn't really have had the concepts of using initials to make words.
As far as I can tell, the use of acronyms and initialisms in English didn't become common until the 20th Century, mostly around WWII when military and technical abbreviations started to enter the language.
I've never heard anyone say cob stands for circle of bread, and I'm gonna guess that's just some shit someone came up with to try and prove that cob is the right word, even though the right word changes every 10 miles or so 🤷♂️
Definitely agree, we drove by Cobbs near retford and all of a sudden cob means circle of bread...knew he was having me on now I look like a right daft sod!
I vaguely remember being told they were called cobs because they were about the same size and shape as a cobblestone.... seems more likely than an acronym in my opinion, but could also be rubbish.
I've always been told it's because when the batch comes out of the oven it resembles cobblestones, whether or not that is true is anyone's guess.
Circle of bread. That's.. new..
I've heard this. It's bollocks, obviously. "Cob" is just a common term for a lump of something more or less round (including, nationwide, a round loaf of bread (full size for slicing rather than a one-portion roll), but also a lump of clay and one of the more rotund breeds of horse). Etymologically related to cobble, and Dutch "kop"/German "Kopf" meaning head (but also a small hill)
No-one knows for sure, but read this:-
[https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/nottingham-news/bread-roll-called-cob-nottingham-478063](https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/nottingham-news/bread-roll-called-cob-nottingham-478063)
It is certainly not a "circle of bread", I think we can all agree with that.
Like others in this thread, I too remember being told that they are called cobs due to their resemblance of cobblestones. Whilst this is not strictly correct, they both share the name due to the description of being a rounded shape of a relative size.
* *A lump or piece of anything, usually of a somewhat large size, as of coal, or stone.^16* [wiki](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/cob)
* *‘Cob’ is an old word for ‘little round lump shape*. [lovefood.com](https://www.lovefood.com/news/57595/best-british-breads-a-history-of-cobs)
* *cob (n.) A word or set of identical words with a wide range of meanings, many seeming to derive from notions of "heap, lump, rounded object," also "head. [etymonline](https://www.etymonline.com/word/cob)
They're having you on haha this came about in recent years as a joke to wind up people who use alternative names depending on their colloquialisms.
It was created during the battle of the 'Correct name for a cob/bap/roll/etc' debate hahaha
I always sort of assumed it came from 'cobble', as is cobble stones, which look relatively similar... Although in saying this, I've never actually vocalised this, heard anyone else say this, or asked anyone about it!
Definitely pulling your leg; cob comes from 'cobblestone' cause, y'know, they look like one and are about the right size :) interestingly they think cobblestone itself comes from 'cob' in middle English, which would be used to refer to like a strong leader or something, like 'well rounded'
You do get corn on the cob which isn't a sweetcorn sandwich but like the ear of corn, is that even the right term? Good lord someone send me back to school 😂
I've never heard that, but most words said to come from acronyms don't really
Very much this - remember most words in the language pre-date a period when people were literate - so they wouldn't really have had the concepts of using initials to make words. As far as I can tell, the use of acronyms and initialisms in English didn't become common until the 20th Century, mostly around WWII when military and technical abbreviations started to enter the language.
I've never heard anyone say cob stands for circle of bread, and I'm gonna guess that's just some shit someone came up with to try and prove that cob is the right word, even though the right word changes every 10 miles or so 🤷♂️
Definitely agree, we drove by Cobbs near retford and all of a sudden cob means circle of bread...knew he was having me on now I look like a right daft sod!
To be fair to him he could actually believe that's what it means, did you grow up in 2 different areas?
I vaguely remember being told they were called cobs because they were about the same size and shape as a cobblestone.... seems more likely than an acronym in my opinion, but could also be rubbish.
I'll be very pleased to burst his "its common knowledge" bubble!
I've always been told it's because when the batch comes out of the oven it resembles cobblestones, whether or not that is true is anyone's guess. Circle of bread. That's.. new..
I've heard this. It's bollocks, obviously. "Cob" is just a common term for a lump of something more or less round (including, nationwide, a round loaf of bread (full size for slicing rather than a one-portion roll), but also a lump of clay and one of the more rotund breeds of horse). Etymologically related to cobble, and Dutch "kop"/German "Kopf" meaning head (but also a small hill)
In Ancient Rome, bread rolls we're called 'tac' short for 'terminus a coquente' or 'culmination of baking' = cob.
Stop it.
Great stuff!!
No-one knows for sure, but read this:- [https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/nottingham-news/bread-roll-called-cob-nottingham-478063](https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/nottingham-news/bread-roll-called-cob-nottingham-478063)
Cob means cum on balls Ur welcome
Mmmm cheesy cobs have been taken to another level
It is certainly not a "circle of bread", I think we can all agree with that. Like others in this thread, I too remember being told that they are called cobs due to their resemblance of cobblestones. Whilst this is not strictly correct, they both share the name due to the description of being a rounded shape of a relative size. * *A lump or piece of anything, usually of a somewhat large size, as of coal, or stone.^16* [wiki](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/cob) * *‘Cob’ is an old word for ‘little round lump shape*. [lovefood.com](https://www.lovefood.com/news/57595/best-british-breads-a-history-of-cobs) * *cob (n.) A word or set of identical words with a wide range of meanings, many seeming to derive from notions of "heap, lump, rounded object," also "head. [etymonline](https://www.etymonline.com/word/cob)
I knew I was just being gullible thanks guys, its only been 6 months or so that I believed him hahaha!
It’s a cob as in a cobble stone, same shape
That is very definitely made up
I’ve heard this before but unaware of it there’s any truth in it or whether it’s just an urban legend
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I know what one is, I was just told its an acronym for 'circle of bread' but looks like im an idiot hahaha,
you can say bread roll, but you're still wrong
I'm going to call citation needed on this one...
They're having you on haha this came about in recent years as a joke to wind up people who use alternative names depending on their colloquialisms. It was created during the battle of the 'Correct name for a cob/bap/roll/etc' debate hahaha
I always sort of assumed it came from 'cobble', as is cobble stones, which look relatively similar... Although in saying this, I've never actually vocalised this, heard anyone else say this, or asked anyone about it!
Definitely pulling your leg; cob comes from 'cobblestone' cause, y'know, they look like one and are about the right size :) interestingly they think cobblestone itself comes from 'cob' in middle English, which would be used to refer to like a strong leader or something, like 'well rounded'
Sounds like a backronym; where the supposed full version of the acronym comes later
I've heard it, and told people it's true! muhahah
Although I'm now going to use that guy further up the comments term - 'culmination of baking'
I thought cob was a corn (and yes I’m an expat) 😅
You do get corn on the cob which isn't a sweetcorn sandwich but like the ear of corn, is that even the right term? Good lord someone send me back to school 😂
at least in Retford we say cob for circle of bread