From candy to zero: 20 English words with Arabic origins

The cultural influence wielded by the Middle East extends further than many are aware of

Candy originates from the Arabic word 'qandi'. Photo: Museum of Candy

The Middle East’s cultural influence on the world is vast and enduring – evident not only in food, fashion, mathematics and medicine, but also in the global lingua franca, the English language that millions around the world use everyday.

If you ordered a coffee this morning, you were – perhaps unknowingly – speaking Arabic, or at least a version of it. Some of the most common English words, including lemon, sofa, giraffe and, US president Donald Trump’s favourite buzzword, tariff, all trace their roots back to Arabic.

Here are 20 such words – and the fascinating stories behind them.

Admiral

The naval term entered English via the Anglo-French “amiral”, meaning commander, which came from the Arabic “amir al-bahr” – “amir” meaning commander and “bahr” meaning sea.

Algebra

This mathematical term stems from the Arabic “al-jabr”, which originally referred to the surgical setting of bones. It was adopted into mathematics by ninth-century Persian scholar Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi in his influential book Al-Kitab al-Mukhtasar fi Hisab al-Jabr wal-Muqabala (The Compendious Book on Calculation by Completion and Balancing).

Candy

This sweet-sounding word originates from the Arabic “qandi”, meaning sugar. It likely entered English via the Old French çucre candi – “sugar candy”.

Checkmate

The final move in chess translates from the Arabic into 'the king is helpless'. EPA

The final move in chess comes from the Persian “shah mat”, meaning the king is helpless. As the game spread through the Arab world into Europe, it evolved into chequemate, and later checkmate in English. The Arabic “mat” also means died.

Coffee

Coffee culture began in 15th-century Yemen, and the word itself derives from qahwa. The chocolate-infused cafe mocha takes its name from the Yemeni port city of Mocha, once a hub for the global coffee trade.

Elixir

Meaning a magical or medicinal potion, elixir comes from the Arabic “al-iksir”, which itself was derived from the Greek “xerion”, meaning powder for drying wounds.

Giraffe

'Zarafa' is the word for giraffe in Arabic. Photo: Somali Giraffe Project

The long-necked animal’s name evolved from the Arabic “zarafa”. It entered European languages in the 13th century, likely after giraffes were transported from Cairo to Italy.

Hazard

Today associated with danger, hazard originates from “al-zahr”, the Arabic word for dice – an object once used in games of chance. It entered English via the Old French “hasard”.

Jar

From the Arabic “jarra”, meaning earthenware vessel, the term appeared in medieval European texts referring to containers for oil or preserves.

Jasmine

This fragrant flower, prominent in traditional Arabic medicine, entered western texts in the 13th century from the Arabic “yasmin”, and became widely known across Europe by the 16th century.

Jumper

The cosy pullover’s etymology leads back to the Arabic “jubba”, a loose outer garment. It passed through Latin (iuppa), then French (jupe), before arriving in English as jump or jumper in the 17th century.

Lemon

Lemons are even a staple in Arabic cuisine. Pawan Singh / The National

Though now strongly associated with the Mediterranean, lemons were introduced to southern Europe by Arabs in the Middle Ages. The Arabic “limun” or “al-lamun” referred to a citrus fruit that was larger and thicker-skinned than those known in classical antiquity.

Magazine

From the Arabic “makhazin” (plural of makhzan), meaning storehouse, the word entered English via Italian and French. In early English usage, a magazine referred to a place where ammunition or supplies were kept, before evolving into its current meaning as a printed periodical. Today it is used to refer to both, written publications and an ammunition storage device for a firearm, more commonly known as mag.

Mattress

Derived from the Arabic “matrah”, meaning place where something is thrown down – such as a mat or cushion. It reflects the traditional practice of sleeping on floor cushions.

Orange

The English word comes from the Persian “naranj” after the word was adopted in Arabic, introduced to Europe via Arabic-speaking traders around the 10th century. The Spanish word “naranja” retains this older form.

Safari

From the Arabic “safar”, meaning journey, the word entered English in the 19th century via Swahili, where it described long overland expeditions.

Serendipity

Coined in 1754 by English writer Horace Walpole, the word has its roots in Sanskrit, and was then inspired by the Persian folktale The Three Princes of Serendip – a reference to Sri Lanka's old Arabic-language name Serendip. The story’s heroes were known for their knack for making unexpected discoveries.

Sofa

Sofa, which originates from the Arabic word 'soffa', entered English via Turkish. Photo: Jysk

Sofa entered English through Turkish in the 16th century, describing a cushioned bench or seat. The Turkish word came from the Arabic “soffa”, meaning a raised platform or long bench.

Tariff

A word frequently in the headlines, tariff stems from the Arabic “tarif”, meaning notification or definition. It passed into European languages through Latin and Italian, often used in shipping and trade contexts.

Zero

A cornerstone of modern mathematics, zero comes from the Arabic “sifr”, meaning empty or nothing. The concept reached Europe through Latin translations of Arabic texts, although the term didn’t appear in English until the 17th century.