Arabic (العربية)
A few
English words that came from Arabic:
- Admiral: Commander of the sea
- Adobe: The brick
- Alchemy: The art of transmutation (from Late Greek) "khemia" the land of Egypt
- Alcohol: The powdered antimony
- Alcove: The vault
- Alfalfa: The forage plant
- Algebra: Setting (of broken bones); knitting together (refers to solving equations)
- Algorithm: 9th century mathematician: Muhammad Ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi
- Alkali: The potash
- Almanac: The climate
- Amber: Ambergris, amber
- Apricot: The plum
- Arsenal: The house of manufacturing
- Artichoke: The artichoke
- Assassin: Those who use hashish (grass)
- Average: Damage to ship or cargo (which was shared, or averaged out equally among investors)
- Azimuth: The ways (from Latin): "semita, path"
- Azure: Lapis lazuli, blue (from Persian): "lazhuward"
- Barberry: Barberry bush
- Benzoin: Frankincense of Java
- Berber: Barbaric, uncivilized (from Latin)
- Borax: Sodium borate (from Persian)
- Caliber: Mold . (from Greek) Prob
- Camel: Camel
- Cameo: Flower buds
- Candy: Crystalline form of evaporated sugar
- Cane: Hollow stick (from Greek)
- Carafe: Dipper weight
- Carat: Measure (from Greek)
- Caraway: Caraway plant (from Greek)
- Carmine: Red dye
- Checkmate: "The king (shah) is dead" (from Persian)
- Cipher: Zero
- Cinnabar: Mercuric sulfide
- Coffee: Coffee
- Cotton: Cotton from Gossypium plant
- Crimson: Red dye from the kermes beetle
- Crocus: Saffron (from Latin)
- Cumin: Cumin plant
- Drub: To beat, hit
- Elixir: The drug (from Greek)
- Gazelle: Gazelle
- Genie: Demon, spirit
- Gerbil: Desert rodent
- Ghoul: Demon
- Giraffe: African mammal
- Guitar: Guitar (from Greek): kithara, "lyre"
- Gypsum: Mortar
- Hazard: Dice used in backgammon
- Jacket: Mailcoat
- Jasmine: Fragrant flowers (from Persian)
- Lemon: Lemon fruit (from Persian)
- Lute: Stringed instrument
- Magazine: Storehouses
- Mattress: Place where something is thrown
- Mascara: buffoon (masked) clown
- Massage: Stroke, touch
- Mocha: Port known for its coffee
- Monsoon: Season
- Mosque: Place of worship
- Mummy: Preservative
- Muslin: (Cloth) from Mosul (from Persian)
- Nadir: Opposite of the zenith
- Orange: Orange tree (from Persian)
- Racket: Palm of the hand
- Ream: Bundle
- Safari: Journey
- Saffron: Saffron spice
- Sash: White cloth, muslin
- Satin: From Zaytoon, Arabic form of Tsinkiang, Chinese city from which it was probably exported
- Scarlet: Rich cloth
- Sherbet: Drink
- Sofa: Ledge, bench, saddle pad
- Spinach: Spinach (from Persian)
- Sugar: Ground sugar (from Persian)
- Syrup: Syrup, drink
- Tabby: Name of quarter in Baghdad
- Tambourine: Bass drum
- Tangerine: Name of a Moroccan port: Tangiers
- Tarragon: Tarragon (from Greek)
- Tariff: Information, notification
- Tripe: Layer of intestine fat
- Typhoon: Whirlwind (from Greek)
- Vizier: Chief minister of a king
- Zero: Nothing, zero
- Zirconium: Zirconium metal