English is full of Arabic — centuries of trade, science and poetry left their mark. You’ve been speaking a little Arabic all along.
coffee
from Arabic
قهوةqahwa
sugar
from Arabic
سكرsukkar
lemon
from Arabic
ليمونlaymūn
candy
from Arabic
قندqand (cane sugar)
syrup / sherbet
from Arabic
شرابsharāb
alcohol
from Arabic
الكحلal-kuḥl
algebra
from Arabic
الجبرal-jabr
algorithm
from Arabic
الخوارزميal-Khwārizmī
cipher / zero
from Arabic
صفرṣifr
admiral
from Arabic
أمير البحرamīr al-baḥr
arsenal
from Arabic
دار الصناعةdār aṣ-ṣināʿa
magazine
from Arabic
مخزنmakhzan (storehouse)
cotton
from Arabic
قطنquṭn
sofa
from Arabic
صفّةṣuffa
mattress
from Arabic
مطرحmaṭraḥ
giraffe
from Arabic
زرافةzarāfa
safari
from Arabic
سفرsafar (travel)
Sahara
from Arabic
صحراءṣaḥrāʾ (desert)
monsoon
from Arabic
موسمmawsim (season)
lute
from Arabic
العودal-ʿūd
When Europe rediscovered mathematics, astronomy and medicine through the Arab world, the vocabulary came along for the ride — which is why so much of it still starts with “al-” (the Arabic “the”).