I’d like to find out what Arabic-origin words have been transformed into everyday English words and phrases. Pls. add, with their meanings if possible, eg. Amir al Bar for Admiral and Al Ghool (the jinn) for Alcohol
Some I found on the net are:
admiral, albatross, alchemy, alcohol, alcove (recess for a bed), alfalfa, algebra (reunion of broken parts), algorithm, alkali, amber, amulet, aniline, antimony, arsenal, artichoke, assassin, average (equitable distribution of losses due to damaged goods), ayatollah, azimuth, benzene (from Java - from a resin in an Asian tree) calibre (mould for casting metal), carat (weight of four grains), caraway, cipher, coffee, cork (bark), cotton, drub (beat), elixir, fakir, fellah (peasant), fez (named after its city of origin in Morocco), gala, garbage, garble, gazelle, genie, giraffe, goul (the same root as Algol), hashish, harem, hazard, henna, kismet (fate), lackey (footman), lime, loofah, lute, magazine, marzipan, mask (buffoon), mattress, minaret, mohair, monkey, monsoon (season), mosque, myrrh, nadir, pancreas, racket (for ball games - palm of hand), ream (bundle), safari, Sahara (desert), saffron, sahib (friend), satin (named after its city of origin in China), sequin (coin), sheikh (old man), sherbet, sheriff (noble), sofa, soda (headache - from plant used as a remedy), sultan, syrup (drink), tabby (from a district in Baghdad where striped cloth was made), talisman, tamarind (Indian date), tamborine, tariff, wadi (dry river), yashmak (veil), zenith (pass over the head), zero, zircon
