Arabic in Cards

English Words from Arabic

Everyday English words, each with a journey from Arabic – and some came back home.

53 cards
algebra algorithm alcohol

Why these cards?

English has far more words from Arabic than any set of cards could hold. These are samples, chosen on three conditions: two standard English dictionaries confirm the Arabic origin, the word is one you use every day, and its journey has a story. The series grows as we find more.

Showing 14 of 53 Show all

algebra
al-jabr
algorithm
al-Khwārizmī
alcohol
al-kuḥl
zero
ṣifr
cipher
ṣifr
zenith
samt ar-raʾs
nadir
naẓīr as-samt
azimuth
as-sumūt
alkali
al-qily
alchemy
al-kīmiyāʾ
elixir
al-iksīr
talc
ṭalq
mummy
mūmiyāʾ
sine
jayb