Complete etymology list
An alphabetical index of words covered across the loanwords pages.
This is a combined alphabetical reference of English and Spanish words derived from Arabic. For grouped, contextualized treatment see Arabic words in English and Arabic-origin words in Spanish. Contested etymologies are flagged in the notes column.
A
aceite (es)
الزيت
az-zayt
Oil; via al-Andalus.
aceituna (es)
الزيتونة
az-zaytuuna
Olive.
acelga (es)
السلق
as-silq
Chard.
acequia (es)
الساقية
as-saaqiya
Irrigation channel.
admiral
أمير البحر
amiir al-baHr
Via Old French.
aduana (es)
الديوان
ad-diiwaan
Customs.
albahaca (es)
الحبق
al-Habaq
Basil.
albañil (es)
البنّاء
al-bannaa'
Mason.
albatross
الغطّاس
al-ghaTTaas
Etymology contested; via Portuguese alcatraz.
albaricoque (es) / apricot (en)
البرقوق
al-barquuq
alcachofa (es) / artichoke (en)
الخرشوف
al-kharshuuf
alcalde (es)
القاضي
al-qaaDii
Mayor; from "the judge."
alcantarilla (es)
القنطرة
al-qanTara
Sewer; from "the bridge."
alchemy / alquimia
الكيمياء
al-kiimiyaa'
Greek root via Arabic.
alcoba (es) / alcove (en)
القبّة
al-qubba
Bedroom (es), nook (en).
alcohol
الكحل
al-kuHl
Originally kohl.
Aldebaran
الدبران
ad-dabaraan
Star name.
alembic
الإنبيق
al-inbiiq
Distillation apparatus.
alférez (es)
الفارس
al-faaris
Ensign.
alfombra (es)
الخمرة
al-khumra
Carpet.
algebra / álgebra
الجبر
al-jabr
"Restoration."
algodón (es)
القطن
al-quTn
Cotton.
Algol
الغول
al-ghuul
Star name; "the ghoul."
algorithm / algorism
الخوارزمي
al-Khwaarizmii
From mathematician's name.
alguacil (es)
الوزير
al-waziir
Constable; from "minister."
aljibe (es)
الجبّ
al-jubb
Cistern.
almacén (es)
المخزن
al-makhzan
Warehouse.
almanac
المناخ
al-manaakh
Etymology debated.
almohada (es)
المخدة
al-mikhadda
Pillow.
Altair
الطائر
aT-Taa'ir
Star name.
arroba (es)
الربع
ar-rubʿ
Weight unit; the @ symbol.
arroz (es)
الرز
ar-ruzz
Rice.
arsenal
دار الصناعة
daar aS-Sinaaʿa
Via Italian.
asesino (es) / assassin (en)
حشّاشين
Hashshaashiin
Etymology contested.
average
عوارية
ʿawaariyya
Etymology contested.
azafrán (es) / saffron (en)
الزعفران
az-zaʿfaraan
azimuth
السموت
as-sumuut
Plural of samt.
azotea (es)
السطح
as-saTH
Rooftop terrace.
azúcar (es)
السكر
as-sukkar
Sugar.
azulejo (es)
الزليج
az-zulayj
Glazed tile.
azure
لازورد
laazuward
Persian via Arabic.
B
berenjena (es)
باذنجان
baadhinjaan
Eggplant.
Betelgeuse
يد الجوزاء
yad al-jawzaa'
Etymology partially contested.
C
caliph
خليفة
khaliifa
candy
قند
qand
Persian via Arabic.
caraway
كرويا
karawiyaa
caravan
قيروان
qayrawaan
Persian via Arabic; route debated.
carat / quilate
قيراط
qiiraaT
Greek keration via Arabic.
carob
خرّوب
kharruub
check / cheque
صكّ
Sakk
Via Persian.
cifra (es) / cipher (en)
صفر
Sifr
Same source as zero.
coffee
قهوة
qahwa
Via Turkish.
cordovan
قرطبة
qurTuba
From Cordoba.
cotton / algodón
قطن
quTn
crimson
قرمز
qirmiz
Sanskrit via Persian via Arabic.
D
damask
دمشق
dimashq
From Damascus.
Deneb
ذنب
dhanab
Star name.
E
elixir
الإكسير
al-iksiir
Greek via Arabic.
emir
أمير
amiir
en balde (es)
باطل
baaTil
"In vain."
F
falafel
فلافل
falaafil
Etymology debated.
fennec
فنك
fanak
Desert fox.
Fomalhaut
فم الحوت
fum al-Huut
Star name.
fulano (es)
فلان
fulaan
"So-and-so."
G
gacela (es) / gazelle (en)
غزال
ghazaal
gauze
غزّة
ghazza
Etymology debated.
genie
جنّ
jinn
Via French.
Gibraltar
جبل طارق
jabal Taariq
"Mountain of Tariq."
giraffe / jirafa
زرافة
zaraafa
ghoul
غول
ghuul
Guadal- (place names)
وادي ال-
waadi al-
"Valley of the-."
H
harem
حريم
Hariim
hazard
الزهر
az-zahr
"Dice."
hummus
حمّص
HummuS
J
jabalí (es)
جبلي
jabalii
Wild boar.
jar / jarra (es)
جرّة
jarra
Earthenware vessel.
jerboa
يربوع
yarbuuʿ
jinete (es)
زناتي
zanaatii
Light cavalry rider.
K
kebab
كباب
kabaab
Via Turkish.
L
lacquer
لكّ
lakk
Sanskrit via Arabic.
lemon / limón
ليمون
laymuun
Persian via Arabic.
M
Madrid
المجريط
al-majriiT
Etymology debated.
magazine
مخزن
makhzan
Via Italian.
mate (chess)
مات
maata
Via Persian shah maat.
mattress
مطرح
maTraH
minaret
منارة
manaara
mohair
مخيّر
mukhayyar
monsoon
موسم
mawsim
Via Portuguese.
mosque / mezquita
مسجد
masjid
mummy
موميا
muumiyaa
Persian via Arabic.
muslin
موصل
mawSil
From Mosul.
N
nadir
نظير
naZiir
"Counterpart."
naranja (es) / orange (en)
نارنج
naaranj
Persian via Arabic.
noria (es)
ناعورة
naaʿuura
Waterwheel.
O
ojalá (es)
إن شاء الله
in shaa' allaah
"Hopefully"; from "if God wills."
Q
quintal (es)
قنطار
qinTaar
Hundredweight.
R
racket
راحة
raaHa
"Palm of the hand."
Rigel
رجل الجوزاء
rijl al-jawzaa'
Star name.
risk
رزق
rizq
Etymology debated.
S
safari
سفر
safar
Via Swahili.
saffron / azafrán
زعفران
zaʿfaraan
Sahara
صحراء
SaHraa'
"Desert."
satin
زيتون
zaytuun
Possibly from Quanzhou; contested.
scarlet
سقلاط
siqlaaT
Latin via Arabic.
sheikh
شيخ
shaykh
simoom
سموم
samuum
Hot desert wind.
sofa
صفّة
Suffa
"Raised platform."
spinach
إسفاناخ
isfaanaakh
Persian via Arabic; transmission contested.
sugar / azúcar
سكّر
sukkar
Persian via Arabic; Sanskrit ultimate.
sultan
سلطان
sulTaan
sumac
سمّاق
summaaq
syrup / sherbet / sorbet
شراب
sharaab
Same root.
T
tabbouleh
تبّولة
tabbuula
taffeta
تفتاء
taftaa'
Persian via Arabic via Italian.
tahini
طحينة
TaHiina
talisman
طلسم
Tilsam
Greek via Arabic.
tariff / tarifa
تعريف / تعريفة
taʿriif / taʿriifa
taza (es)
طاسة
Taasa
Cup.
V
Vega
الواقع
al-waaqiʿ
Star name.
vizier
وزير
waziir
Z
zenith
سمت الرأس
samt ar-ra's
"Path overhead."
zero
صفر
Sifr
Same source as cipher and cifra.