Kiełbasa is the Polish word for sausage. The word has become a commonly used North American term for Eastern European styles of sausage, including Ukrainian sausage, which is called kovbasa or kubasa. Etymology The term entered English simultaneously from different sources, which accounts for the different spellings. In the United States, the form kielbasa (usually or ) is more often used and comes from the Polish kiełbasa "sausage", perhaps a derivation from the Turkic kül bast&… (More on Kielbasa)