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.

A plant of the species Carum carvi, native that grows for two years: Mrs. Rawson used the seeds of the caraway as a spice for the evening meal.

An evergreen tree or shrub of the species Ceratonia siliqua: Carobs are native to the Mediterranean and have dark-brown fruit that tastes similar to chocolate!

1. A secret system of writing: When Thomas wrote his girlfriend a note, he wanted to keep it secret, so he wrote 1. it in cipher.
2. One of the Arabic numbers or numerals: In school Jenny learned that ciphers were the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9

Cipher can also relate to the Arabic system of numbers as a whole

1. A beverage made by using the beans of the tropical plant of the genus Coffea (no pl): Jane and her girlfriends like to have hot coffee from the coffee shop in town after their classes were over.
2. A serving of this usually hot drink: Sally and Mary ordered two coffees at the café and sat outside in the shade. .

1. A plant of the genus Gossypium, grown in warm countries: The soft white downy fibers of the cotton plant are mainly used to make textiles.

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.
2. Etymology: from the Arab word "qutun".

A dish made of steamed semolina: Tom and his family ate couscous with some meat and vegetables for dinner.

Tome told his family that couscous originally came from Northern Africa.

The color of a deep almost bluish red: Alice chose a crimson lipstick to wear with her gown to the formal dance at school

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

The dromedary is a common beast of burden in Egypt, Syria, and the neighboring countries.

The dromedary is a working and racing animal and is 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. A liquid that is thought to cure all disorders and give eternal life: In alchemy, the elixir of life is a substance which when drunk was supposed to bring immortality or at least to prolong one's life.

An elixir is a substance or medicine believed to have the power to cure all ailments.
2. In pharmacy, a sweetened, aromatic solution of alcohol and water containing, or used as a vehicle for, medicinal substances: The elixir Jane swallowed was good to take away the unpleasant taste of the medicine.
3. An alchemic preparation formerly believed to be capable of transmuting base metals into gold: Mike read about an elixir that was supposed to convert lead into gold!
4. The quintessence or absolute embodiment of anything: An elixir can be an underlying principle.
5.Etymology: from Arabic al-iksir, probably from late Greek xerion, "powder for drying wounds", from Greek xeros, "dry."