French words from Arabic
5 French words with Arabic in their history, whether borrowed directly or passed on through other languages.
ben
1. The tree name is borrowed from Arabic بان (bān, “ben tree, moringa”), a word already found in Medieval Latin in the 13th century. The Grand Robert glosses the Arabic tree name as “oriental willow…
goule
It is borrowed from Arabic غول (ġūl, “a demon that devours people”), often feminine, first known in France through d'Herbelot's “Bibliothèque orientale” (1697) and Galland's translation of the…
guitare
It is borrowed from Spanish guitarra (about 1330), borrowed from Arabic قيثارة (qīṯāra), itself from Ancient Greek κιθάρα (kithára, “cithara, lyre”). Rey says the Arabic step is only probable, and…
masser
1. “To mass” is formed from masse “mass” with the ending -er. The noun is inherited from Latin massa (“lump of dough; mass”), from Ancient Greek μᾶζα (mâza, “barley cake”). 2. “To massage” is…
talisman
It is borrowed from Arabic طلسم (ṭilasm, “talisman, charm”), which the TLFi has pass through Persian; the vowels were transposed, and the ending “-an” is explained by the Arabic dual طلسمان…