English Words from Arabic origins

A coffee shop: The café that was on the corner was well frequented where many people could sit and enjoy a simple snack or meal along with a non-alcoholic beverage.

1. The amount of ability, intelligence, or character of a person: Mrs. Smith, the principal of Susan's school, mentioned that they rarely got such a high caliber teacher in theirr school.

Mr. Smart said that they needed to improve the caliber of the schools in the district..

2. The internal diameter of a pipe, cylinder, or the barrel of a firearm: The calibers of a rifle, shotgun, or pistol all have different sizes.
3. The external diameter of a projectile: A caliber can refer to a bullet or a shell which is fired from a particular weapon.
4. Etymology: "degree of merit or importance", is from Middle French calibre in the late 15th century; apparently it ultimately came from Arabic qalib, "a mold for casting".

Arabic also used the word in the sense of "mold for casting bullets"; which is the original literal meaning in English.

A mammal of the genus Camelus, that lives in deserts and is used for carrying people and goods: Camels have long necks and one or two lumps, called bumps, on their backs.

Not from Arabic; however, it is of Semitic origin. It is thought to be more ancient than the Arabic language. It is common among languages such as Hebrew and Aramaic.

A substance that is white and smells strong or pungent: Camphor is used in differentmedicines, in making plastic, and even in moth balls!

A bottle with a flared lip, usually made of glass: At the restaurant, the couple ordered a carafe of nice red wine to go along with their meal.

Derived from the Arab word qutun.

The Arabs played a very extensive role in the cotton trade and so the word for cotton came from the Arab traders into the European vocabulary.

1. A species of camel, also called the Arabian camel, with one hump or protuberance on the back, as distinguished from the Bactrian camel, which has two humps.

It is a common beast of burden in Egypt, Syria, and the neighboring countries.
2. A camel with one hump; working and racing; native to, North Africa, Southwest Asia.
3. Etymology: from Old French dromadaire, which came from Late Latin dromedarius, "kind of camel"; from Latin dromas, dromados, from Greek dromas kamelos, "running camel"; from dromos, "a race course".

1. The elixir of life (alchemy), a substance which when drunk was supposed to bring immortality or at least to prolong one's life.
2. A substance or medicine believed to have the power to cure all ailments.
3. In pharmacy, a sweetened, aromatic solution of alcohol and water containing, or used as a vehicle for, medicinal substances.
3. An alchemic preparation formerly believed to be capable of transmuting base metals into gold.
4. The quintessence or absolute embodiment of anything.
5. A panacea; cure-all; sovereign remedy.
6. From Arabic al-iksir, probably from late Greek xerion, "powder for drying wounds", from Greek xeros, "dry."