Arabic loan words
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English has the ability to borrow words from other languages integrate them into every day usage. Most of English is derived from other languages such as French, German, and Latin. A perhaps surprisingly large number of loanwords also come from Arabic.
Arabic Loan Words and English synonyms
| Word with Arabic Root[1] | Etymology[2] | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| admiral | Arabic amir-ar-rahl (naval commander) via French | naval officer of general staff rank |
| algebra | Arabic al-jebr (joining of broken pieces) via Latin | mathematical system of symbols and rules to manipulate them |
| algorithm | Arabic al-Khwarizmi (name of outstanding mediaeval mathematician) via Greek, Latin and French | step-by-step computational procedure |
| arsenal | Arabic dar-as-sina'ah (workshop) via Venetian arzenale | armory, stockpile |
| assassin | Arabic hashishiyyin (hashish-users) via Italian and French | killer or hitman, usually with political connotations. |
| coffee | Probably name of Ethiopian region Kaffa via Arabic qahwah, Turkish and Italian | popular stimulating drink |
| cotton | Possible Egyptian via Arabic qutn, via a southern Romance language and French | plant material from which a wide variety of fabrics are made |
| elixir | Greek xeros (dry) via Arabic al-iksir and Latin | potion[3] |
| Gibraltar | Arabic Jebel-al-Tariq (mountain of Tariq = name of 8th century commander) | A large rock on the northern side of the Pillars of Hercules; also the city-state built on the rock |
| haboob | Arabic habub (strong wind) | violent sandstorm |
| lemon | Sanskrit nimbu (lime) via Persion, Arabic laimun, Provencal and French | a citrus fruit |
| lime | Arabic limah (citrus fruit) via Spanish | a tropical citrus fruit |
| mattress | Arabic matrah via Sicilian, Italian and French | thick pad for resting or sleeping on |
| orange | A Dravidian language (fragrant + fruit) via Sanskrit, Persian, Arabic naranj, Italian or Provencal, and French | a citrus fruit and the colour after which it is named |
| safari | Arabic safar (journey) via Swahili | trip, especially to watch or photograph wild animals |
| scarlet | Possibly Arabic siqillat (fine cloth) via Latin and French | bright red |
| soda | Arabic suwwad (name of a plant) via Italian or Latin | pop, soft drink |
| sugar | Sanskrit sharkara via Persian, Arabic sukkar, Latin and French | |
| tariff | Arabic ta'rif = information via Latin and Italian | tax |
| zero | Arabic sifr via Latin and Italian | none |
- ↑ Arabic loan words in English
- ↑ http://www.etymonline.com Online Etymology Dictionary
- ↑ Note the irony: in English, an elixir is an alcoholic drink of medicinal value—in short, a cocktail.