The English word “crêpe” derives from the Latin word crispa. Crispa is the feminine form of crispus, a Latin adjective meaning “curled,” “wrinkled” or “having curly hair.” The word reflects the rippled or curled appearance associated with the thin pancake’s edges and surface.
The French term crêpe developed through the history of Romance languages and became the familiar English culinary word for a very thin pancake cooked on a pan or griddle. Modern crêpes are generally made from an unleavened batter containing flour, eggs and milk, with butter, salt or sugar added according to the recipe.
French cuisine commonly distinguishes sweet crêpes, or crêpes sucrées, from savoury buckwheat galettes, also called crêpes salées. Fillings range from fruit and chocolate to cheese, vegetables and meat. The related word “crepe” can also describe a fabric with a crinkled texture, preserving the same idea of a curled or wrinkled surface. The culinary term is therefore connected to appearance, not to a particular filling.