The Italian language contains over 600 words of Arabic origin. Although Arabic did not influence the language like Greek or French, its terms have stuck over the centuries. Today, they are part of the common vocabulary of Italians — and of those who study the language.
Among the approximately 230 thousand entries in Italian, 23 thousand are of foreign origin, according to the Treccani Institute. The so-called arabism They arrived, for the most part, via trade routes, especially during the Middle Ages.
See 11 everyday Italian words that have their origins in Arabic.
Espresso
The drink that symbolizes Italy has an Arabic name: coffee. The word arrived through the Venetians in the 16th century. In 1750, Veneza already had more than 200 coffee shops, frequented by artists and writers.
sugar
Sugar entered Europe thanks to the Arabs, who brought it to Sicily and Andalusia. The Italian term sugar comes from sukkar, the same one that originated the English “sugar”.
Cup
The container for coffee also has Arabic origins. The word cup it derivates from ṭāsa, which means “bowl” or “rounded container”.
Light blue
The color used by the Italian team comes from lāzaward, Arabic term for lapis lazuli (or lazulite), a blue stone mined in present-day Afghanistan. The term also gave rise to the French blue and to Spanish azul.
Ragazzo
The term ragazzo, used for “young man” or “boy”, comes from raqqa only, which meant “messenger” in parts of North Africa. It passed into late Latin as boy before becoming Italian.
Alcol
Although Italians have been producing wine for millennia, the word alcohol comes from arabic kohl, which designated a fine powder used for makeup. Over time, it came to mean “essence obtained by distillation”.
Warehouse
The Italian word for warehouse, Plywood, comes from maḵāzin, which means “deposit” or “stock”.
Apricot
The word apricot, used for “apricot”, comes from al-barqūq, which means “plum” in Arabic. The fruit is typical of Italian summers.
Jacket
Jacket, or jacket, derives from giubba, ancient form influenced by Arabic jubba, a traditional men's robe mentioned even in Islamic Hadith.
Sofa
The comfortable sofa is also an Arab heritage. Diwan was the name given to administrative offices in the Ottoman Empire, where scribes worked sitting on cushions.
Meschino
The adjective petty has its origin in Arabic miskin, meaning “poor.” Today, it is used to mean “stingy,” either to describe a low salary or despicable behavior.
