List of French words of Arabic origin
Encyclopedia
Words of Arabic
origin have entered the French language
and many European languages. One of the primary routes that they have entered other languages is via the Spanish language
, heavily influenced by the Arabic of al-Andalus
.
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
origin have entered the French language
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and many European languages. One of the primary routes that they have entered other languages is via the Spanish language
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, heavily influenced by the Arabic of al-Andalus
Al-Andalus
Al-Andalus was the Arabic name given to a nation and territorial region also commonly referred to as Moorish Iberia. The name describes parts of the Iberian Peninsula and Septimania governed by Muslims , at various times in the period between 711 and 1492, although the territorial boundaries...
.
A
- abricot (apricotApricotThe apricot, Prunus armeniaca, is a species of Prunus, classified with the plum in the subgenus Prunus. The native range is somewhat uncertain due to its extensive prehistoric cultivation.- Description :...
): from Spanish albaricoque, derived from the Arabic أَلْبَرْقُوق (al barqūq) which is itself derived from the Latin præcoquum, meaning the fruit, in turn from the Greek βερύκοκο (berukoko). - adobeAdobeAdobe is a natural building material made from sand, clay, water, and some kind of fibrous or organic material , which the builders shape into bricks using frames and dry in the sun. Adobe buildings are similar to cob and mudbrick buildings. Adobe structures are extremely durable, and account for...
: from the Spanish adobe, derived from the Arabic al-ṭūb (الطوب) meaning a brick of dried earth. - albacoreAlbacoreThe albacore, Thunnus alalunga, is a type of tuna in the family Scombridae. This species is also called albacore fish, albacore tuna, albicore, longfin, albies, pigfish, tombo ahi, binnaga, Pacific albacore, German bonito , longfin tuna, longfin tunny, or even just tuna...
(zoo.) from the Spanish albacora from the Arabic al barqūq (ألبرقوق) : young bonito; - alcade Spanish word alcalde : magistrate; Arab governor al-qāḍi (القاض) : judge; cadi.
- alchimie (alchemyAlchemyAlchemy is an influential philosophical tradition whose early practitioners’ claims to profound powers were known from antiquity. The defining objectives of alchemy are varied; these include the creation of the fabled philosopher's stone possessing powers including the capability of turning base...
): from the Arabic al kîmiâ' (الكيمياء), possibly from either GreekGreek languageGreek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
or CopticCoptic languageCoptic or Coptic Egyptian is the current stage of the Egyptian language, a northern Afro-Asiatic language spoken in Egypt until at least the 17th century. Egyptian began to be written using the Greek alphabet in the 1st century...
according to current hypotheses. - alcool (alcoholAlcoholIn chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
) الكحول - alcôve (alcoveAlcoveAlcove , a vault) is an architectural term for a recess in a room, usually screened off by pillars, balustrades or drapery.In geography and geology, the term Alcove is used for a wind-eroded depression in the side of a cliff of a homogenous rock type, famous from sandstones of the Colorado Plateau...
) - alembicAlembicAn alembic is an alchemical still consisting of two vessels connected by a tube...
(or alambic) (stillStillA still is a permanent apparatus used to distill miscible or immiscible liquid mixtures by heating to selectively boil and then cooling to condense the vapor...
): from al-inbīq (الإنبيق) meaning a still for the distillation of alcohol. The invention of the still is traced to PtolemaicPtolemaic dynastyThe Ptolemaic dynasty, was a Macedonian Greek royal family which ruled the Ptolemaic Empire in Egypt during the Hellenistic period. Their rule lasted for 275 years, from 305 BC to 30 BC...
EgyptEgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. The original Greek word ἄμβιξ (ambix), meaning the top of a still had the definite article al- added onto it by the Arabs. - alezan (horse: chestnut, sorrel)
- algèbre (algebraAlgebraAlgebra is the branch of mathematics concerning the study of the rules of operations and relations, and the constructions and concepts arising from them, including terms, polynomials, equations and algebraic structures...
): from the Arabic al-jabr الجبر meaning amending or fixation, a root (linguistics)Root (linguistics)The root word is the primary lexical unit of a word, and of a word family , which carries the most significant aspects of semantic content and cannot be reduced into smaller constituents....
of the word Arabic word of 'splint' jabirah جبيرة - algorithme (algorithmAlgorithmIn mathematics and computer science, an algorithm is an effective method expressed as a finite list of well-defined instructions for calculating a function. Algorithms are used for calculation, data processing, and automated reasoning...
): from the name of mathematician al-Khwarizmi - alidade
- almanach (almanacAlmanacAn almanac is an annual publication that includes information such as weather forecasts, farmers' planting dates, and tide tables, containing tabular information in a particular field or fields often arranged according to the calendar etc...
) from the Arabic word almanakh المناخ meaning - amalgame (mixture, blend, amalgam)
- ambre (amberAmberAmber is fossilized tree resin , which has been appreciated for its color and natural beauty since Neolithic times. Amber is used as an ingredient in perfumes, as a healing agent in folk medicine, and as jewelry. There are five classes of amber, defined on the basis of their chemical constituents...
) عنبر - amiral (admiralAdmiralAdmiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
) أمير البحر - anilineAnilineAniline, phenylamine or aminobenzene is an organic compound with the formula C6H5NH2. Consisting of a phenyl group attached to an amino group, aniline is the prototypical aromatic amine. Being a precursor to many industrial chemicals, its main use is in the manufacture of precursors to polyurethane...
- arcane
- arrobe (at signAt signThe at sign , also called the ampersat, apetail, arroba, atmark, at symbol, commercial at or monkey tail, is formally an abbreviation of the accounting and commercial invoice term "at the rate of"...
) - arsenalArsenalAn arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, issued to authorized users, or any combination of those...
دار الصناعة - artichaut (artichokeArtichoke-Plants:* Globe artichoke, a partially edible perennial thistle originating in southern Europe around the Mediterranean* Jerusalem artichoke, a species of sunflower with an edible tuber...
) الخرشوف - assassin حشاشين
- aubergineAubergineThe eggplant, aubergine, melongene, brinjal or guinea squash is a plant of the family Solanaceae and genus Solanum. It bears a fruit of the same name, commonly used in cooking...
البادنحات - الباذنجان - aval (downstream, downhill)
- avarie (damage on a vehicle)
- azimut السمت meaning the high point
- azur (azureAzureIn heraldry, azure is the tincture with the colour blue, and belongs to the class of tinctures called "colours". In engraving, it is sometimes depicted as a region of horizontal lines or else marked with either az. or b. as an abbreviation....
)
B
- babouche (slippers) بلغة
- baldaquin (baldachinBaldachinA baldachin, or baldaquin , is a canopy of state over an altar or throne. It had its beginnings as a cloth canopy, but in other cases it is a sturdy, permanent architectural feature, particularly over high altars in cathedrals, where such a structure is more correctly called a ciborium when it is...
) - barkhane (barchanBarchanA barchan dune, also barkhan is an arc-shaped sand ridge, comprising well-sorted sand. This type of dune possesses two "horns" that face downwind, with the slip face at the angle of repose of sand, or approximately 35 degrees . The upwind side is packed by the wind, and stands at about 15 degrees...
) - baobabBaobabAdansonia is a genus of eight species of tree, six native to Madagascar, one native to mainland Africa and the Arabian Peninsula and one to Australia. The mainland African species also occurs on Madagascar, but it is not a native of that island....
- baroud (raidRaid (military)Raid, also known as depredation, is a military tactic or operational warfare mission which has a specific purpose and is not normally intended to capture and hold terrain, but instead finish with the raiding force quickly retreating to a previous defended position prior to the enemy forces being...
) - benjoin (benzoin resinBenzoin resinBenzoin resin or styrax resin is a balsamic resin obtained from the bark of several species of trees in the genus Styrax. It is used in perfumes, some kinds of incense, as a flavoring, and medicine . Its principal component is benzoic acid...
) - benzine البنزين
- bergamote (bergamot orangeBergamot orangeCitrus bergamia, the Bergamot orange, is a fragrant fruit the size of an orange, with a yellow colour similar to a lemon. Genetic research into the ancestral origins of extant citrus cultivars recently matched the bergamot as a likely hybrid of Citrus limetta and Citrus aurantium...
) برتقال - bled (colloquial: Place, Town) بلد
- blouse (overallOverallAn overall, coverall, over all, or dungarees, is a type of garment which is usually used as protective clothing when working...
, white coatWhite coatA white coat or laboratory coat is a knee-length overcoat/smock worn by professionals in the medical field or by those involved in laboratory work. The coat protects their street clothes and also serves as a simple uniform...
) - boraxBoraxBorax, also known as sodium borate, sodium tetraborate, or disodium tetraborate, is an important boron compound, a mineral, and a salt of boric acid. It is usually a white powder consisting of soft colorless crystals that dissolve easily in water.Borax has a wide variety of uses...
بوراق - bougie (candleCandleA candle is a solid block or cylinder of wax with an embedded wick, which is lit to provide light, and sometimes heat.Today, most candles are made from paraffin. Candles can also be made from beeswax, soy, other plant waxes, and tallow...
) from Bejaia (بجاية, port town in Algeria), but not particurlarly Arabic
C
- cabas (basket for shopping) قفص
- cafard (cockroachCockroachCockroaches are insects of the order Blattaria or Blattodea, of which about 30 species out of 4,500 total are associated with human habitations...
) - café (coffeeCoffeeCoffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
, caféCaféA café , also spelled cafe, in most countries refers to an establishment which focuses on serving coffee, like an American coffeehouse. In the United States, it may refer to an informal restaurant, offering a range of hot meals and made-to-order sandwiches...
): from Arabic qahwah قهوة, via Turkish - caïd (chief of a mob; as a nickname, can be translated as "tiger")
- calfeutrer (to draught-proof)
- calibre (standard for calibration, calibre, see also CaliperCaliperA caliper is a device used to measure the distance between two opposing sides of an object. A caliper can be as simple as a compass with inward or outward-facing points...
) قالب - calife (caliphCaliphThe Caliph is the head of state in a Caliphate, and the title for the ruler of the Islamic Ummah, an Islamic community ruled by the Shari'ah. It is a transcribed version of the Arabic word which means "successor" or "representative"...
) خليفة - camaïeu (camaieuCamaieuCamaïeu is a technique that employs two or three tints of a single color, other than gray, to create a monochromatic image without regard to local or realistic color. When a picture is monochromatically rendered in gray, it is called grisaille; when in yellow, cirage .The term is also applied to...
) - camelot, camelote (rubbish)
- camphre (camphorCamphorCamphor is a waxy, white or transparent solid with a strong, aromatic odor. It is a terpenoid with the chemical formula C10H16O. It is found in wood of the camphor laurel , a large evergreen tree found in Asia and also of Dryobalanops aromatica, a giant of the Bornean forests...
) - candie (HeraklionHeraklionHeraklion, or Heraclion is the largest city and the administrative capital of the island of Crete, Greece. It is the 4th largest city in Greece....
) قند (من سكر قندي) - carafe (water pot)
- caravelle (caravelCaravelA caravel is a small, highly maneuverable sailing ship developed in the 15th century by the Portuguese to explore along the West African coast and into the Atlantic Ocean. The lateen sails gave her speed and the capacity for sailing to windward...
) - carat (gem massCarat (mass)The carat is a unit of mass equal to 200 mg and is used for measuring gemstones and pearls.The current definition, sometimes known as the metric carat, was adopted in 1907 at the Fourth General Conference on Weights and Measures, and soon afterward in many countries around the world...
or metal purityCarat (purity)The karat or carat is a unit of purity for gold alloys.- Measure :Karat purity is measured as 24 times the purity by mass:where...
) قيراط - carmin (carmineCarmineCarmine , also called Crimson Lake, Cochineal, Natural Red #4, C.I. 75470, or E120, is a pigment of a bright-red color obtained from the aluminum salt of carminic acid, which is produced by some scale insects, such as the cochineal beetle and the Polish cochineal, and is used as a general term for...
) - caroussel (carouselCarouselA carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders...
) - carvi (carawayCarawayCaraway also known as meridian fennel, or Persian cumin is a biennial plant in the family Apiaceae, native to western Asia, Europe and Northern Africa....
) - chèque (check) صك
- chemise قميص
- chiffre (numberNumberA number is a mathematical object used to count and measure. In mathematics, the definition of number has been extended over the years to include such numbers as zero, negative numbers, rational numbers, irrational numbers, and complex numbers....
, see CipherCipher (disambiguation)Cipher can refer to:* An algorithm for performing encryption, including:** substitution ciphers** permutation ciphers* An English name for the number 0* Cipher, an evil Pokémon syndicate,* Cipher , a Marvel Comics X-Men character....
) صفر - chimie (chemistryChemistryChemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
) - civette (chivesChivesChives are the smallest species of the edible onions. A perennial plant, they are native to Europe, Asia and North America.. Allium schoenoprasum is the only species of Allium native to both the New and the Old World....
, civetCivetThe family Viverridae is made up of around 30 species of medium-sized mammal, including all of the genets, the binturong, most of the civets, and the two African linsangs....
) - clebs (slang for dogDogThe domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
) كلاب - coton: from Arabic qutun قطن, via the Spanish coton (Algodon)
- couffin (Moses basket)
- coupole (cupolaCupolaIn architecture, a cupola is a small, most-often dome-like, structure on top of a building. Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome....
) - cramoisi (crimsonCrimsonCrimson is a strong, bright, deep red color. It is originally the color of the dye produced from a scale insect, Kermes vermilio, but the name is now also used as a generic term for those slightly bluish-red colors that are between red and rose; besides crimson itself, these colors include...
) قرمزي - cravache (cropCrop (implement)A crop, sometimes called a riding crop or hunting crop, is a short type of whip without a lash, used in horse riding, part of the family of tools known as horse whips.-Types and uses:...
) - cuminCuminCumin is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae, native from the east Mediterranean to India. Its seeds are used in the cuisines of many different cultures, in both whole and ground form.-Etymology:...
- cuscute (Greater Dodder)
E
- écarlate
- échec (jeu d'échecs)
- éden عدن
- élixir الإكسير
- émir أمير
- épinard
- erg
- estragon
F
- fakir فقير
- fanfare (brass bandBrass bandA brass band is a musical ensemble generally consisting entirely of brass instruments, most often with a percussion section. Ensembles that include brass and woodwind instruments can in certain traditions also be termed brass bands , but are usually more correctly termed military bands, concert...
) - fanfaron (boaster)
- fardeau (burdenBurden-As a surname:*Arthur Scott Burden , American equestrian*Chris Burden, American avant-garde artist*Doug Burden , American rower.*Henry Burden, 19th century industrialist*Jane Morris née Jane Burden , English artists' model...
) - fenec فنك
- felouque (feluccaFeluccaA felucca is a traditional wooden sailing boat used in protected waters of the Red Sea and eastern Mediterranean including Malta, and particularly along the Nile in Egypt, Sudan, and also in Iraq. Its rig consists of one or two lateen sails....
) - flouze
- fondouk (claims)
G
- gabelle
- gala
- gaze
- gazelle: from Arabic ghazâl (غزال)
- gazette
- genette
- gerboise
- gilet
- girafe: from Arabic zarâfah (زرافة)
- goudron
- goule غول
- guitare قيثارة
- guitoune
H
- hammam: from Arabic ʜamˈmaːm حمّام bathroom
- harem
- hasard
- haschisch: from Arabic ʜaˈʃiːʃ حشسيش grass
- henné: from Arabic: ˈʜanna حنّة
M
- maboule
- macramé
- magasin
- marabout
- marcassite
- maroquin
- massepain
- massicot
- matelas
- matraque
- méchoui
- mesquin
- mohair
- moire, moiré
- momie
- mosquée
- mouchtefert
- mousseline
- mousson
- mulâtre
- muscade
S
- saccharine
- safari
- safran
- salamalec
- santal
- saphir
- sarbacane
- satin
- savate
- séné (نبات السنا)
- sirop
- smala
- sofa
- sorbet
- soude
- souk
- sucre
- sultan
T
- taboulé : تبولة (tabbūla)
- tabouret : تبوﺮ (tabour)
- taffetas : ' '
- talc : طلق (ṭalq)
- talisman : طلسم (ṭilasm)
- tare : طرح (ṭarḥ)
- tarif : تعريفة (taʿrīfa)
- timbale : طبل (ṭabl)
- toubib : طبيب (ṭabīb) (doctor)
- truchement : ترجمان (tarjumān)
X
- x as unknown in mathematics: The letter « x » does not exist in Arabic; the word chaïi, which means « thing », designates an unknown in mathematics, and this word being reduced to ch.
See also
- Influence of Arabic on other languagesInfluence of Arabic on other languagesArabic has had a great influence on other languages, especially in vocabulary. The influence of Arabic has been most profound in those countries dominated by Islam or Islamic power...
- List of English words of Arabic origin
- List of French loanwords in Persian
- List of Portuguese words of Arabic origin
- List of Spanish words of Arabic origin