150+ Arabic Words Used in English — You've Been Speaking Arabic Without Knowing It
Algebra is an Arabic word. So is coffee, sugar, cotton, sofa, candy, algorithm, and alcohol. Without ever studying Arabic, you've been using over 150 Arabic words in your daily English speech. The Arabic language quietly shaped the English vocabulary across mathematics, science, astronomy, food, commerce, and home — and most English speakers have no idea.
How Arabic Words Entered English — The Three Routes
Arabic words didn't enter English randomly. They flowed through three main historical channels:
- Via Moorish Spain (711–1492 AD): When Arab and Berber forces established Al-Andalus in Spain, Arabic became the language of science, philosophy, and culture in Europe. As Christian kingdoms reconquered Spain, Arabic scholarship was translated into Latin and Spanish, carrying Arabic vocabulary into European languages — including English. This is how most mathematics and science terms arrived.
- Via Crusader-era trade (11th–13th centuries): European Crusaders and merchants encountered Arab civilization in the Levant and brought back material goods — and their Arabic names. Foods, spices, textiles, and luxury goods came with their Arabic labels attached.
- Via Ottoman trade networks (15th–17th centuries): The Ottoman Empire's Mediterranean trade brought further Arabic and Turkish-mediated Arabic vocabulary to Europe, particularly household items, coffee culture, and commerce terms.
Arabic Words in Mathematics and Science
| English Word | Arabic Origin | Arabic Meaning | How It Entered English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Algebra | al-jabr (الجبر) | "The reunion of broken parts" | Via al-Khwarizmi's 9th-c. treatise, translated to Latin |
| Algorithm | al-Khwarizmi (الخوارزمي) | Name of the Persian mathematician | Latinized form of mathematician's name |
| Zero | sifr (صفر) | "Empty, nothing" | Via Italian "zefiro" from Arabic "sifr" |
| Cipher | sifr (صفر) | Same root as zero | Doublet of "zero" via different route |
| Chemistry | al-kimiya (الكيمياء) | From Greek "khymeia" via Arabic | Via medieval Arabic alchemy texts |
| Alchemy | al-kimiya (الكيمياء) | Same root as chemistry | Via Arabic, with definite article "al-" |
| Zenith | samt al-ras (سمت الرأس) | "Direction of the head" | Misread Latin transcription of Arabic astronomical term |
| Nadir | nadhir (نظير) | "Opposite, counterpart" | Via Arabic astronomy |
| Alcohol | al-kohl (الكحل) | Antimony powder (eye makeup) | Extended meaning via Arabic alchemy |
| Alkali | al-qali (القلي) | "The ashes of saltwort plant" | Via Arabic chemistry |
| Almanac | al-manakh (المناخ) | "The calendar/climate" | Via medieval Arabic astronomical tables |
| Elixir | al-iksir (الإكسير) | "Philosopher's stone" | Via Arabic alchemy |
Arabic Words in Everyday Life
| English Word | Arabic Origin | Original Arabic Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Coffee | qahwa (قهوة) | Originally "wine"; later applied to the new stimulant drink from Yemen |
| Sugar | sukkar (سكر) | "Sugar" — from Sanskrit "sharkara" via Arabic trade |
| Cotton | qutn (قطن) | "Cotton plant" |
| Sofa | suffa (صُفَّة) | A raised platform or bench with cushions |
| Candy | qand (قند) | Crystallized sugar cane |
| Magazine | makhazin (مخازن) | Plural of makhzan (مخزن), "storehouse/warehouse" |
| Safari | safar (سفر) | "Journey, travel" |
| Mattress | matrah (مطرح) | "A place where something is thrown" — a mat/cushion on the floor |
| Jar | jarra (جرة) | "Earthen vessel" |
| Mask | maskha (مسخة) | "To transform, to disfigure" |
| Hazard | az-zahr (الزهر) | "The dice" — from Arab dice games |
| Average | awariya (عوارية) | Damaged goods — a shipping/commerce term |
Arabic Words in Food and Drink
| English Word | Arabic Origin | Story |
|---|---|---|
| Saffron | za'faran (زعفران) | The world's most expensive spice; Arab traders named it |
| Lemon | laymun (ليمون) | Via Arabic from Persian limun |
| Orange | naranj (نارنج) | Via Arabic from Sanskrit naranga |
| Apricot | al-barquq (البرقوق) | The "early-ripening" fruit |
| Artichoke | al-kharshuf (الخرشوف) | Via Spanish alcachofa from Arabic |
| Spinach | isfanakh (إسفاناخ) | Via Spanish espinaca from Arabic |
| Sorbet / Sherbet | sharba (شربة) | "A drink" — from the same root as sharab (شراب) |
| Syrup | sharab (شراب) | "Drink, beverage" — same root as sherbet |
| Alcohol | al-kohl (الكحل) | From eye powder to spirits via alchemy's distillation process |
| Jasmine | yasmin (ياسمين) | The flower and the flavor |
Arabic Words in Astronomy — We Named the Stars
Arab astronomers of the 9th–13th centuries were the world's leading stargazers. When European astronomers adopted their catalogs, they kept the Arabic star names. Today, most bright stars visible to the naked eye still carry Arabic names:
| Star Name | Arabic Origin | Arabic Meaning | Constellation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aldebaran | al-dabarān (الدبران) | "The follower" (follows the Pleiades) | Taurus |
| Betelgeuse | yad al-jawzā (يد الجوزاء) | "Shoulder of the Giant" | Orion |
| Rigel | rijl al-jawzā (رجل الجوزاء) | "Foot of the Giant" | Orion |
| Deneb | dhanab (ذنب) | "Tail" (of the swan) | Cygnus |
| Altair | al-tā'ir (الطائر) | "The flying eagle" | Aquila |
| Vega | waqi' (واقع) | "Falling eagle" | Lyra |
| Fomalhaut | fam al-hut (فم الحوت) | "Mouth of the fish" | Piscis Austrinus |
| Achernar | ākhir al-nahr (آخر النهر) | "End of the river" | Eridanus |
Arabic Words in Commerce and Trade
| English Word | Arabic Origin | Story |
|---|---|---|
| Tariff | ta'rifa (تعريفة) | "Notification, inventory of fees" — Arab trading system |
| Traffic | tafriq (تفريق) | "Distribution of goods" |
| Bazaar | bazar (بازار) | Via Persian bazar, widely used in Arab trade |
| Caravan | qairawan (قيروان) | From the city of Kairouan, meaning "trade route" |
| Monopoly | Via Greek but Arabic murtafiq (مرتفق) | Arab merchants used similar concept terms |
| Cheque / Check | sakk (صك) | "A written document, order for payment" |
The Full Reference Table — 100+ Arabic Words in English
| English | Arabic Root | Category |
|---|---|---|
| Admiral | amir al-bahr (أمير البحر) | Military/Naval |
| Adobe | al-tuba (الطوبة) | Construction |
| Albatross | al-qadus (القادوس) | Nature |
| Alcove | al-qubba (القبة) | Architecture |
| Alfalfa | al-fasfasa (الفصفصة) | Food/Agriculture |
| Arsenal | dar al-sina'a (دار الصناعة) | Military |
| Assassin | hashshashin (حشاشين) | History |
| Azure | lazaward (لازورد) | Color/Gem |
| Caliber | qalib (قالب) | Military/Technical |
| Camphor | kafur (كافور) | Chemistry/Medicine |
| Carob | kharruba (خروبة) | Food |
| Carmine | qirmiz (قرمز) | Color/Textile |
| Cipher | sifr (صفر) | Mathematics |
| Crimson | qirmiz (قرمز) | Color |
| Cumin | kammun (كمون) | Food/Spice |
| Damask | Dimashq (دمشق) — Damascus | Textile |
| Gazelle | ghazal (غزال) | Nature |
| Ghoul | ghul (غول) | Mythology |
| Giraffe | zarafa (زرافة) | Nature |
| Guitar | qitar (قيثار) | Music |
| Henna | hinna (حناء) | Beauty/Culture |
| Lute | al-'ud (العود) | Music |
| Lime | lima (ليمة) | Food |
| Marmalade | Via marmelo, influenced by Arabic marmala | Food |
| Monsoon | mawsim (موسم) | Weather/Navigation |
| Mummy | mumiya (موميا) | History/Medicine |
| Muslin | Mawsil (الموصل) — Mosul | Textile |
| Natron | natrun (نطرون) | Chemistry |
| Racquet | rahat (راحة) | Sports |
| Satin | zaytun (زيتون) — Quanzhou, China trade route | Textile |
| Sequin | sikka (سكة) | Fashion/Finance |
| Sherbet | sharbat (شربات) | Food |
| Tambourine | tanbur (طنبور) | Music |
| Tamarind | tamr hindi (تمر هندي) | Food — "Indian date" |
| Talc | talq (طلق) | Minerals |
| Talisman | tilasm (طلسم) | Mysticism |
Now Learn to Type These Words in Arabic
You've been speaking Arabic for years without knowing it. Now imagine being able to type these words in their original Arabic script — أَلْجَبْر، قَهْوَة، سُكَّر، قُطْن — with fluency and confidence. That's what Arabic Typing Lab teaches: the muscle memory to type the Arabic script naturally, on a real keyboard.
⌨️ Start Typing Arabic Now — It's Free →Frequently Asked Questions
Over 1,000 English words have Arabic origins, including: algebra, algorithm, coffee, sugar, cotton, candy, sofa, magazine, alcohol, zero, chemistry, and hundreds more. Most entered English via medieval Spain or through trade routes.
Yes. Algebra comes from the Arabic word al-jabr (الجبر), meaning "the reunion of broken parts." It appears in the 9th-century treatise by mathematician al-Khwarizmi, whose name also gives us the word "algorithm."
Yes. Coffee comes from the Arabic qahwa (قهوة). When the drink spread from Yemen through the Ottoman Empire to Europe in the 15th-16th centuries, the word traveled with it — becoming "kahve" in Turkish, "caffè" in Italian, and "coffee" in English.
Approximately 1,000-1,200 common English words have Arabic roots — roughly 1-2% of the English lexicon. The Arabic contribution is concentrated in high-value domains: mathematics, science, astronomy, commerce, and everyday household items.
Arabic words entered English via three main routes: through Moorish Spain (711-1492 AD), through Crusader-era Mediterranean trade (11th-13th centuries), and through Ottoman Empire trade networks (15th-17th centuries).