Arabic influence on the Spanish language

Arabic influence on the Spanish language has been significant due to the Islamic presence in the Iberian peninsula

Timeline of the Muslim presence in the Iberian peninsula

This is a timeline of notable events in the Muslim presence in Iberia, which started with the Umayyad conquest in the 8th century.-Conquest :...

between 711 and 1492 A.D. (see Al-Andalus

Al-Andalus

Al-Andalus was the Arabic name given to a nation and territorial region also commonly referred to as Moorish Iberia. The name describes parts of the Iberian Peninsula and Septimania governed by Muslims , at various times in the period between 711 and 1492, although the territorial boundaries...

).

Modern day Spanish language

Spanish language

Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...

(also called castellano in Spanish) first appeared in the small Christian Kingdom of Castile

Kingdom of Castile

Kingdom of Castile was one of the medieval kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula. It emerged as a political autonomous entity in the 9th century. It was called County of Castile and was held in vassalage from the Kingdom of León. Its name comes from the host of castles constructed in the region...

in northern Spain during this period of Islamic domination over most of the Iberian Peninsula

Iberian Peninsula

The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...

. As a result, the language was influenced by Andalusi Arabic

Andalusi Arabic

Andalusian Arabic was a variety of the Arabic language spoken in Al-Andalus, the regions of the Iberian Peninsula under Muslim rule...

practically from its inception. The Arabic influence on the language increased as the Kingdom of Castile seized land from Muslim rulers, where Castilian had never been spoken. It also absorbed Arabic influence from the Latin and Arabic speaking arabized Christians (Mozarabs) who emigrated northwards from Al Andalus during times of sectarian violence

Sectarian violence

Sectarian violence and/or sectarian strife is violence inspired by sectarianism, that is, between different sects of one particular mode of ideology or religion within a nation/community...

, which intensified as a result of the Almoravid conquest in the 12th century. Although the degree to which Arabic percolated the peninsula varied enormously from one area to another and is the subject of academic dispute, it is generally agreed that Arabic was used among the local elites and local Arabic-influenced Romance dialects, known as Mozarabic, which were the prevalent vernacular language in most areas.

Only the small southern kingdom of Granada, in the time of the Nasrid dynasty

Nasrid dynasty

The Nasrid dynasty was the last Moorish and Muslim dynasty in Spain. The Nasrid dynasty rose to power after the defeat of the Almohad Caliphate in 1212 at the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa...

, which had had a large influx of Moors as the reconquista advanced, was totally arabized.

Most of the Arabic influence upon Spanish came through the arabized Latin dialects that were spoken in areas under Muslim rule, known today by scholars as Mozarabic

Mozarabic language

Mozarabic was a continuum of closely related Romance dialects spoken in Muslim-dominated areas of the Iberian Peninsula during the early stages of the Romance languages' development in Iberia. Mozarabic descends from Late Latin and early Romance dialects spoken in the Iberian Peninsula from the 5th...

. This resulted in Spanish often having both Latin and Arabic derived words with the same meaning. For example, aceituna and oliva (olive), alacrán and escorpión (scorpion), jaqueca and migraña (migraine) or alcancía and hucha (piggy bank).

A small number of words were also borrowed from Moroccan Arabic

Moroccan Arabic

Moroccan Arabic is the variety of Arabic spoken in the Arabic-speaking areas of Morocco. For official communications, the government and other public bodies use Modern Standard Arabic, as is the case in most Arabic-speaking countries. A mixture of French and Moroccan Arabic is used in business...

principally as a result of Spain's protectorate over Spanish Morocco

Spanish Morocco

The Spanish protectorate of Morocco was the area of Morocco under colonial rule by the Spanish Empire, established by the Treaty of Fez in 1912 and ending in 1956, when both France and Spain recognized Moroccan independence.-Territorial borders:...

in the 19th and 20th centuries.

The influence of Arabic on the Spanish language is fundamentally lexical; other influences are also briefly examined in this article.

Lexical influence

It is estimated that there are over four thousand Arabic loanwords (counting derived forms

Derivation (linguistics)

In linguistics, derivation is the process of forming a new word on the basis of an existing word, e.g. happi-ness and un-happy from happy, or determination from determine...

) and well over one thousand Arabic roots, which together make up around 8% of the Spanish dictionary, making Arabic the largest lexical influence on Spanish after Latin. (See also Influences on the Spanish language#Arabic.) The high point of Arabic word use in Spanish was in late medieval times, but hundreds are still used in normal conversation. The majority of these words are nouns, with a more limited number of verb

Verb

A verb, from the Latin verbum meaning word, is a word that in syntax conveys an action , or a state of being . In the usual description of English, the basic form, with or without the particle to, is the infinitive...

s, adjective

Adjective

In grammar, an adjective is a 'describing' word; the main syntactic role of which is to qualify a noun or noun phrase, giving more information about the object signified....

s, adverb

Adverb

An adverb is a part of speech that modifies verbs or any part of speech other than a noun . Adverbs can modify verbs, adjectives , clauses, sentences, and other adverbs....

s, and a preposition, hasta ("until"). The exact number of words of Arabic origin and their derivatives in Spanish is not known, and many words not included on this list are regionalisms: words which are used in certain parts of Spain and/or Latin America

Latin America

Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...

but are generally unknown elsewhere.

List of words of Arabic origin

This is an open list of Spanish

Spanish language

words acquired directly from Classical

Classical Arabic

Classical Arabic , also known as Qur'anic or Koranic Arabic, is the form of the Arabic language used in literary texts from Umayyad and Abbasid times . It is based on the Medieval dialects of Arab tribes...

and Andalusi Arabic

Andalusi Arabic

Andalusian Arabic was a variety of the Arabic language spoken in Al-Andalus, the regions of the Iberian Peninsula under Muslim rule...

, listed in alphabetical order. This list includes the Spanish meaning of the word as well as the Arabic etymology

Etymology

Etymology is the study of the history of words, their origins, and how their form and meaning have changed over time.For languages with a long written history, etymologists make use of texts in these languages and texts about the languages to gather knowledge about how words were used during...

. Be aware that most words in the list are now obsolete or seldom used. No fixed standard of Arabic transliteration

Arabic transliteration

Different approaches and methods for the romanization of Arabic exist. They vary in the way that they address the inherent problems of rendering written and spoken Arabic in the Latin alphabet; they also use different symbols for Arabic phonemes that do not exist in English or other European...

is used.

Rationale for inclusion

Due to the large influence of Arabic on Spanish vocabulary, this list is relatively restrictive:

This list has been edited to include only words which are considered to appertain to the Spanish language and the Hispanic culture and society. Arabic words which may be understood by Spanish speakers, but remain foreign to the Hispanic civilisation such as Ayatolá
Ayatollah
Ayatollah is a high ranking title given to Usuli Twelver Shī‘ah clerics. Those who carry the title are experts in Islamic studies such as jurisprudence, ethics, and philosophy and usually teach in Islamic seminaries. The next lower clerical rank is Hojatoleslam wal-muslemin...

, Jihad
Jihad
Jihad , an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. In Arabic, the word jihād translates as a noun meaning "struggle". Jihad appears 41 times in the Quran and frequently in the idiomatic expression "striving in the way of God ". A person engaged in jihad is called a mujahid; the plural is...

, or Chiita, are excluded from this list.

Only words which have passed directly from Arabic are included. Arabic words which entered the Spanish language through other, non-Iberian
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...

, Indo-European languages
Indo-European languages
The Indo-European languages are a family of several hundred related languages and dialects, including most major current languages of Europe, the Iranian plateau, and South Asia and also historically predominant in Anatolia...

(such as Ayatolá
Ayatollah
Ayatollah is a high ranking title given to Usuli Twelver Shī‘ah clerics. Those who carry the title are experts in Islamic studies such as jurisprudence, ethics, and philosophy and usually teach in Islamic seminaries. The next lower clerical rank is Hojatoleslam wal-muslemin...

, Beduino, Sofá, or sorbete) are not included. Included as exceptions to this rule are álcali and álgebra, words of Arabic origin which are thought to have entered Spanish through "Low Latin
Late Latin
Late Latin is the scholarly name for the written Latin of Late Antiquity. The English dictionary definition of Late Latin dates this period from the 3rd to the 6th centuries AD extending in Spain to the 7th. This somewhat ambiguously defined period fits between Classical Latin and Medieval Latin...

"—as suggested by their initial stress (the Arabic definite article al- is not normally borrowed as a stressed syllable).

Generally, only Spanish root words are listed, derivations not being included. For example, aceite (from az-zeit, oil) is included but not aceitería, aceitero, aceitón or aceitoso. On the other hand, aceituna (olive
Olive
The olive , Olea europaea), is a species of a small tree in the family Oleaceae, native to the coastal areas of the eastern Mediterranean Basin as well as northern Iran at the south end of the Caspian Sea.Its fruit, also called the olive, is of major agricultural importance in the...

) is included since it derives not from az-zeit but from az-zeituna in Arabic, even though the root of the Arabic word is the same. Aceituno (olive tree), on the other hand, would not be included, since it shares the same root as aceituna. An exception to this rule may be made when the derived word is much more commonly used than the root word
Root (linguistics)
The root word is the primary lexical unit of a word, and of a word family , which carries the most significant aspects of semantic content and cannot be reduced into smaller constituents....

, when the meaning of the derivative has no evident connection with the root word or when it is not clear that one is derived from the other (e.g. horro and ahorrar).

Words derived from Mozarabic are not included (Mozarabic being fundamentally a Romance language), unless the Mozarabic word is itself derived from classical or Andalusi Arabic.

Words acquired from Berber
Berber languages
The Berber languages are a family of languages indigenous to North Africa, spoken from Siwa Oasis in Egypt to Morocco , and south to the countries of the Sahara Desert...

or Hebrew (or other Afro-Asiatic languages
Afro-Asiatic languages
The Afroasiatic languages , also known as Hamito-Semitic, constitute one of the world's largest language families, with about 375 living languages...

) are not included.

The etymology and meaning of most of these words can be verified on the site of the Real Academia de la Lengua Española, although a small minority are only available in other sources or past editions of this dictionary.

A (Ababol to Alguaza)

ababol: Poppy
Poppy
A poppy is one of a group of a flowering plants in the poppy family, many of which are grown in gardens for their colorful flowers. Poppies are sometimes used for symbolic reasons, such as in remembrance of soldiers who have died during wartime....

. In Aragon
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...

, Navarre
Navarre
Navarre , officially the Chartered Community of Navarre is an autonomous community in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Country, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and Aquitaine in France...

, Albacete
Albacete
Albacete is a city and municipality in southeastern Spain, 258 km southeast of Madrid, the capital of the province of Albacete in the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha. The municipality had a population of c. 169,700 in 2009....

and Murcia
Murcia
-History:It is widely believed that Murcia's name is derived from the Latin words of Myrtea or Murtea, meaning land of Myrtle , although it may also be a derivation of the word Murtia, which would mean Murtius Village...

. From Andalusian Arabic Happapáwr, a fusion of the Arabic word Hab (حب) "seed" and the Latin papāver.
abacero: owner of an abacería, small food shop. From Andalusi Arabic *ṣaḥb azzád (صاحب الزاد) "owner of supplies."
abadí: descendant/lineage of Mohammed ben Abad, founder of the Taifa Kingdom of Seville in the 11th century AD. From Andalusi Arabic 'abbādī (عبّادي).
abalorio: cheap jewellery or jewellery beads. From Andalusi Arabic al ballúri لبلوري (made of) glass From Classical Arabic: billawr. Ultimately from Greek βήρυλλος, "beryl"
abarraz: stavesacre (Delphinium staphisagria
Delphinium staphisagria
Delphinium staphisagria is a perennial plant of the family Ranunculaceae. This plant is also known as Lice-Bane or Stavesacre. All parts of this plant are highly toxic and should not be ingested in any quantity....

), a medicinal plant. From Andalusi Arabic ḥább arrás (حب الرأس) "head seeds."
abasí: pertaining to the Abbasid dynasty, which overthrew the Umayyad
Umayyad
The Umayyad Caliphate was the second of the four major Arab caliphates established after the death of Muhammad. It was ruled by the Umayyad dynasty, whose name derives from Umayya ibn Abd Shams, the great-grandfather of the first Umayyad caliph. Although the Umayyad family originally came from the...

s in the 8th century.
abelmosco: musk seeds, an aromatic plant. From Andalusi Arabic ḥabb al musk (حب المسك) literally "musk seeds." Classical Arabic: ḥabbu 'l musk.
abencerraje: used in expression: "Zegríes y abencerrajes", which means "partisans of opposite interests". The Abencerrajes (in Arabic ) was an Arabic family of the Kingdom of Granada, rivals of the Zegríes in the 15th century.
abenuz: ebony
Ebony
Ebony is a dense black wood, most commonly yielded by several species in the genus Diospyros, but ebony may also refer to other heavy, black woods from unrelated species. Ebony is dense enough to sink in water. Its fine texture, and very smooth finish when polished, make it valuable as an...

. From Arabic abanus (أبنوس) of the same meaning.
abismal: screw in head of a spear. From Arabic al-mismar (المسمار) "nail."
abitaque: a cut of wood used in construction of a certain shape and dimension. From Arabic Tabaqa (طبقة) "layer" or "intermediate chamber."
acebibe: raisin. From Arabic zabib (زبيب) of the same meaning.
acebuche: wild olive tree, or wood from such a tree. From Andalusi Arabic .
aceche: copper, iron
Iron(II) sulfate
Iron sulfate or ferrous sulfate is the chemical compound with the formula FeSO4. Known since ancient times as copperas and as green vitriol, the blue-green heptahydrate is the most common form of this material...

or zinc sulphate
Zinc sulfate
Zinc sulfate is the inorganic compound with the formula ZnSO4 as well as any of three hydrates. It was historically known as "white vitriol". It is a colorless solid that is a common source of soluble zinc ions.-Production and reactivity:...

. From Hisp-Ar. *azzáj, < az-zāj, < From Classical Arabic الزاج az-zāj.
aceifa: Muslim summer military expedition. From Arabic Sa'ifah "harvest" or "summer expedition."
aceite: oil. From Arabic az-zayt (الزيت) "oil."
aceituna: olive. From Arabic الزيتون (az-zaytun) "olive."
aceituní: precious cloth from the Orient. From Arabic az-zaytuni, a possible adaptation of the Chinese city Tsö-Thung.
acelga: chard. From Arabic as-silqa of the same meaning.
acémila: beast of burden
Working animal
A working animal is an animal, usually domesticated, that is kept by humans and trained to perform tasks. They may be close members of the family, such as guide or service dogs, or they may be animals trained strictly to perform a job, such as logging elephants. They may also be used for milk, a...

; tax formerly paid in Spain. From Arabic az-zamilah "beast of burden."
acemite: wheat husk; a type of wheat porridge. From Arabic as-samid (السميد).
acenefa see cenefa.
aceña: watermill
Watermill
A watermill is a structure that uses a water wheel or turbine to drive a mechanical process such as flour, lumber or textile production, or metal shaping .- History :...

. From Arabic as-saniyah "the lifter."
acequia: irrigation canal. From Arabic as-saqiyah (الساقية)"the irrigator."
acerola: fruit of the trees Malpighia
Malpighia
Malpighia is a genus of flowering plants in the nance family, Malpighiaceae. It contains about 45 species of shrubs or small trees, all of which are native to the American tropics. The generic name honours Marcello Malpighi, a 17th century Italian physician and botanist. The species grow to tall,...

emarginata or M. glabra, generally found in the Americas, of the Malpighiaceae
Malpighiaceae
Malpighiaceae is a family of flowering plants in the order Malpighiales. It comprises approximately 75 genera and 1300 species, all of which are native to the tropics and subtropics...

family. This should be differentiated from the European Service Tree (Sorbus domestica), family Rosaceae
Rosaceae
Rosaceae are a medium-sized family of flowering plants, including about 2830 species in 95 genera. The name is derived from the type genus Rosa. Among the largest genera are Alchemilla , Sorbus , Crataegus , Cotoneaster , and Rubus...

. From Arabic zu 'rūrah (زعرورة). Originally from Syriac za‘rārā.
acetre: bucket or cauldron used to extract water from a well; small cauldron used to spray holy water
Holy water
Holy water is water that, in Catholicism, Anglicanism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Lutheranism, Oriental Orthodoxy, and some other churches, has been sanctified by a priest for the purpose of baptism, the blessing of persons, places, and objects; or as a means of repelling evil.The use for baptism and...

in Christian liturgy
Christian liturgy
A liturgy is a set form of ceremony or pattern of worship. Christian liturgy is a pattern for worship used by a Christian congregation or denomination on a regular basis....

. From Arabic as-saTl (السطل).
aciar: (or acial): instrument used to keep farm-animals still by squeezing their ear or snout. From Arabic az-ziyār.
acíbar: aloe
Aloe
Aloe , also Aloë, is a genus containing about 500 species of flowering succulent plants. The most common and well known of these is Aloe vera, or "true aloe"....

(both the plant and its bitter juice); bitterness, grief, distaste. From Arabic aS-Sabr (الصّبر).
acicalar: to clean or polish (Acicalarse in reflexive form); to make oneself look good by combing, shaving etc. From Arabic aS-Siqal, an instrument used for polishing things.
acicate: spurs or the spikes on spurs; incentive. From Arabic (Muzil) as-siqaT "what takes away weaknesses."
acidaque: Muslim dowry. From Arabic as-Sidaq, dowry
Dowry
A dowry is the money, goods, or estate that a woman brings forth to the marriage. It contrasts with bride price, which is paid to the bride's parents, and dower, which is property settled on the bride herself by the groom at the time of marriage. The same culture may simultaneously practice both...

in Islamic law
Sharia
Sharia law, is the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharia is derived from two primary sources of Islamic law: the precepts set forth in the Quran, and the example set by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah. Fiqh jurisprudence interprets and extends the application of sharia to...

.
acimut: azimuth, an astrological concept - the angle with which the meridian forms a vertical circle which passes through a point in the globe. From Arabic assumut plural of samt.
ación: handle on the stirrup. From Arabic suyūr (سيور), plural of sayr (سير) "strap."
acirate: line of soil used to separate different plots of land; path between two lines of trees. From Arabic SirāT (صراط).
acitara or citara: thin wall, normally on a bridge. From Arabic sitārah (ستارة), wall to avoid falls.
achacar: to blame. From Arabic tashakkà (تشكى): to complain or to blame.
adafina: pot used by Hebrews to cook. It is buried in embers on Friday night, where it cooks until Saturday. From Arabic: dafina (دفينة) "buried."
adalid: leader; general of Spanish militia. From Arabic dalil (دليل).
adaraja: each of the gaps made by the bricks in a horizonally unfinished wall. From daraja (درجة).
adarga: leather shield. From Arabic daraqah.
adárgama:(rarely used today) flour. From Arabic darmaka.
adarme: small portion of something; type of measurement. From Arabic dirham (درهم).
adarvar: to shock. From Arabic darb (ضرب) "blow."
adarve: wall of a fortress; protection, defense. From Arabic darb (ضرب)
adaza: sorghum. From Arabic duqsah.
adefera: a small, square wall or floor tile. From Arabic add-ddafeera.
adehala: that which is granted or taken as obligatory with the price in the leasing or sale of a property. From Mozarabic ad ihala and originally from Arabic ihala "offering credit."
adelfa: oleander
Oleander
Nerium oleander is an evergreen shrub or small tree in the dogbane family Apocynaceae, toxic in all its parts. It is the only species currently classified in the genus Nerium. It is most commonly known as oleander, from its superficial resemblance to the unrelated olive Olea, but has many other...

. From Arabic ad-difla (الدفلى) of the same meaning.
ademán: gesticulation which expresses the will to do something. From Arabic aD-Daman (الضمان), literally meaning legal guarantees. The change of meaning is due to the exaggerated promises and gesticulations which were offered in such a plea.
ademe: wooden structures used to strengthen tunnels in mines. From Arabic di'mah.
aderra: cord used to press grapes or olives in order to obtain their juice. From Andalusi Arabic ad-dirra a noose or cord used to punish those who were guilty of fraud.
adiafa: present or refreshment given to sailors when back from a voyage. From Arabic Diyafa (ضيافة) "present of hospitality."
adivas: a disease provoking throat inflammation in animals. From Arabic aD-Dibbah "wolverine" - which is the old Arabic name for this disease.
adive: a type of canid similar to a fox. From Arabic di'b (ذئب).
adobe: brick made from clay. From Arabic at-tuba (الطوبة from Coptic tôbe) of the same meaning, and from ad-dabba.
adoquín: paving-stone, cobble; block. From Arabic Dukkan bench of rock or wood.
ador: in regions where water for irrigation is restricted and shared out by local authorities, irrigation-time for each farm/field. From Arabic dawr.
aduana: customs house; customs. From Arabic diwan (ديوان).
aduar: semi-permanent rural settlement, normally used for Gypsies, bedouins or Amerindians in South America. From Bedouin Arabic duwwar.
adúcar: type of silk made from the outside of the silk-worm's cocoon. From Andalusi Arabic Haduqa.
adufe:tambourine used by Spanish Muslims. From Arabic Duff (دف).
adul: in Morocco, asessor of the Cadí. From Arabic adl "trustworthy person."
adula: see dula.
adunia: (adverb) lots. From Andalusi Arabic addunya, originally from classical Arabic duniya (الدنيا) "the (whole) world."
adutaque: same meaning as adárgama. From Arabic duqaq (دقاق) "fine flour."
afán: effort; desire; zeal. From afanar.
afanar: to steal; to work with passion. From Arabic (فناء) "extinction," "annihilation through passion."
aguajaque: the whitish resin of fennel. From Arabic aw-washaq "contaminated with water."
agüela: Renta de los derechos sobre préstamos consignados en documento público. From Arabic Hawalah.
ajabeba: Moorish flute. From Classical Arabic sabbabah.
ajaquefa: Roof. Same origin as Azaquefa.
ajaraca: Ornamental loop in Andalusian and Arabic architecture. From Andalusi Arabic Ash-sharakah "loop".
ajarafe: terrace. From Classical Arabic saraf "commanding height."
ajebe: Alum
Alum
Alum is both a specific chemical compound and a class of chemical compounds. The specific compound is the hydrated potassium aluminium sulfate with the formula KAl2.12H2O. The wider class of compounds known as alums have the related empirical formula, AB2.12H2O.-Chemical properties:Alums are...

; Para rubber tree
Para rubber tree
Hevea brasiliensis, the Pará rubber tree, often simply called rubber tree, is a tree belonging to the family Euphorbiaceae, and the most economically important member of the genus Hevea...

. From Arabic as-Shabb.
ajedrea: plant in the genus Satureja (family Lamiaceae
Lamiaceae
The mints, taxonomically known as Lamiaceae or Labiatae, are a family of flowering plants. They have traditionally been considered closely related to Verbenaceae, but in the 1990s, phylogenetic studies suggested that many genera classified in Verbenaceae belong instead in Lamiaceae...

), about three decimeters in height, with many branches and dark, narrow leaves. It is cultivated as an ornamental in gardens. From Arabic assariyya or assiriyya, ultimately from Latin satureia.
ajedrez: chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...

. From Arabic ash shitrang (الشطرنج) which is from the Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...

Chaturang (four armed) as was the shape of the original chess board in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
ajenuz: nutmeg flower or Roman Coriander (Nigella sativa
Nigella sativa
Nigella sativa is an annual flowering plant, native to south and southwest Asia. It grows to tall, with finely divided, linear leaves. The flowers are delicate, and usually coloured pale blue and white, with five to ten petals. The fruit is a large and inflated capsule composed of three to seven...

). From Andalusi Arabic Shanuz and ultimately Classical Arabic Shuniz.
ajimez: bent; window divided in the center by a vertical divider; salient balcony done of wood and with lattice windows. From Arabic samis.
ajomate: pluricellular alga formed by very thin filaments, without knots, bright and of intense green color. It abounds in fresh waters of Spain. From Classical Arabic gumam.
ajonjolí: sesame
Sesame
Sesame is a flowering plant in the genus Sesamum. Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller number in India. It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world and is cultivated for its edible seeds, which grow in pods....

; herbaceous, annual plant
Annual plant
An annual plant is a plant that usually germinates, flowers, and dies in a year or season. True annuals will only live longer than a year if they are prevented from setting seed...

of the family of the Pedaliaceae
Pedaliaceae
Pedaliaceae is a flowering plant family classified in the order Scrophulariales in the Cronquist system and Lamiales in the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group system...

, a meter high, straight stem, serrate and almost triangular leaves, white or rosy corolla, and fruit with four delicate, yellowish, oily and edible capsules and many seeds. From Classical Arabic gulgulan "sesame."
ajorca: bangle; type of gold hoop, silver or another metal, used by the women to adorn the wrists, arms or the feet. From Classical Arabic shuruk, ultimately from the word shirāk "strap."
ajorrar: To drag, to tow. See Jorro.
ajuagas: equine animal ulcers. From Classical Arabic shuqaq.
ajuar: a collection of household and personal items (clothes, furniture, jewelry etc...) which women in Spain traditionally prepare from a young age for the day in which they marry and move in with their husband. From Arabic Shawar.
alacena: cupboard. From Classical Arabic ẖizānah (خزانة).
alacet: foundation of a building. From Classical Arabic asas (أساس).
alacrán: scorpion
Scorpion
Scorpions are predatory arthropod animals of the order Scorpiones within the class Arachnida. They have eight legs and are easily recognized by the pair of grasping claws and the narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward curve over the back, ending with a venomous stinger...

. From Classical Arabic aqrab (عقرب) of same meaning.
aladar: Tuft of hair which falls on either side of the head. From Arabic idar.
aladroque: Anchovy. From Andalusi Arabic Al Hatruk, "big mouthed".
alafa: wage; pay. From Classical Arabic alafah "subsistence allowance."
alafia: grace; pardon; mercy. From Andalusian Arabic al afya ultimately from Classical Arabic afiyah (عافية) "health."
alahílca: tapestry to adorn the walls. Perhaps of alailaca from Andalusian Arabic ilaqa, and this of Classical Arabic ilāqah (علاقة) perhaps meaning "hanger."
alajor: Tax which was paid to owners of land where buildings were built. From Arabic Ashur, period of ten days before Easter when debts were paid and alms were given.
alajú: Andalusian cake made of almonds, nuts, pine nut
Pine nut
Pine nuts are the edible seeds of pines . About 20 species of pine produce seeds large enough to be worth harvesting; in other pines the seeds are also edible, but are too small to be of great value as a human food....

s, bread, spices and cooked honey. From al Hashu "filling".
alamar: A type of decorative attachment which is buttoned on clothing. From Andalusi Arabic Alam, decoration (in clothes).
alambique: alembic. From Arabic al-anbiq "the cup/container holding water", in turn fr Greek.
alambor: Two meanings in Spanish with two different etymologies. 1)Embankment, from Andalusi Arabic Harabul "rim", from classical Arabic verb Hawwala, "to alter". 2) Type of Orange tree. From Catalan l'ambor, singular of els zambors, derived from Andalusi Arabic Azzambu.
alamín: Village judge who decided on irrigation distribution or official who measured weights. From Arabic al amin.
alamud: Steel bar used to close windows. From Arabic amud.
alaqueca: A type of blood-coloured quartz. From Arabic 'aqiq.
alárabe: Arab. From Andalusi Arabic (maintaining the definite article al arabi.
alarde/alardear: To boast/to show off. From Arabic ,show (Alaard العرض)
alarife: 1)Architect 2) Builder (in mining) 2) Astute or quick witted person (in Argentina and Uruguay). From Arabic al 'arif: The expert.
alarije (uva): A type of grape. From Arabic al'aris.
alaroz: Crossbar which divides a window or a door. From Arabic al'arud: Obstacle placed to block entry.
alaroza: Fiancée or newly wed wife. From Arabic Andalusi Arabic al arusa.
alatar: Drug, spice or perfume dealer. From Arabic al attar.
alatrón: Nitrate foam. From Arabic nattrun.
alazán/alazano: Reddish cinnamon coloured. (Used commonly to describe horses). From Arabic al ashab.
alazor: safflower
Safflower
Safflower is a highly branched, herbaceous, thistle-like annual. It is commercially cultivated for vegetable oil extracted from the seeds. Plants are 30 to 150 cm tall with globular flower heads having yellow, orange or red flowers. Each branch will usually have from one to five flower heads...

. From Arabic al usfur.
albacara: Wall around a fortress (within which cattle were normally kept. From Arabic bab al-baqqara The cattle door. baqara (بقرة) means "cow" in Arabic.
albacea: executor (of a will). From Andalusi Arabic Sahb al Wassiya (صاحب الوصية); "the owner of the will".
albacora: Albacore. From Arabic al-bakura "premature" or al-bakrah "young camel."
albadena: Type of tunic or silk dress. From Arabic badan: Type of shirt which covers the torso.
albahaca: Basil
Basil
Basil, or Sweet Basil, is a common name for the culinary herb Ocimum basilicum , of the family Lamiaceae , sometimes known as Saint Joseph's Wort in some English-speaking countries....

. From Arabic habaqah.
albahío: Pale yellowish colour (used commonly for cattle). From Arabic bahi: Shining.
albalá: Official document. From Arabic al bara'ah.
albaida: Anthyllis cystoides (Flowering plant). From Arabic al baida: "The white one".
albanega:1) Net used for hair. 2) Rabbit trap. From Arabic al baniqa.
albañal: Sewer. From Andalusi Arabic al ballá: "Swallower".
albañil: Construction worker. From Andalusi Arabic al banni. Originally from classical Arabic banna.
albaquía: The remainder. From Arabic al-baqi (الباقي) of the same meaning.
albarán: Invoice. From Arabic al-bara'ah.
albarazo: Vitiligo
Vitiligo
Vitiligo is a condition that causes depigmentation of sections of skin. It occurs when melanocytes, the cells responsible for skin pigmentation, die or are unable to function. The cause of vitiligo is unknown, but research suggests that it may arise from autoimmune, genetic, oxidative stress,...

. From Andalusi Arabic Al-Barash.
albarda: Pack-saddle. From Arabic al-barda'ah.
albardán: Clown or fool. From Andalusi Arabic albardán: "insolent". Originally from Classical Arabic bardan: "Idiot (Cold headed)".
albardín: Plant endemic to the Spanish steppes, similar in nature and use to Esparto
Esparto
Esparto, or esparto grass, also known as "halfah grass" or "needle grass", Macrochloa tenacissima and Stipa tenacissima, is a perennial grass grown in northwest Africa and the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula employed for crafts .-Esparto paper:It is also used for fiber production for paper...

. From Arabic "al-bardi": "papyrus".
albaricoque: Apricot. From Arabic al-barqouq (البرقوق) "plum" or "early-ripe."
albarrada: 1) Same meaning as alcarraza (Clay vase). 2) Stone Wall. From Arabic al-barradah: "the cooler".
albarrán: 1) Farm boy 2) Shepherd 3)Person with no fixed residence. From Andalusi Arabic al-barrani: "Outsider".
albatoza: Small, covered boat. From Arabic al-gattosha: grebe
Grebe
A grebe is a member of the Podicipediformes order, a widely distributed order of freshwater diving birds, some of which visit the sea when migrating and in winter...

(Due to the Arabic custom of giving names of birds to vessels.
albayalde: Cerrusite. From Arabic al-bayad.
albéitar: Vet. From Arabic al-baytar.
albenda: Decorated white linen. From Arabic al-band.
alberca: Water deposit for irrigation. From Arabic al-birka.
albérchigo: Apricot tree. From Andalusi Arabic albershiq.
albihar: Mayweed
Mayweed
Matricaria is a genus of flowering plants in the sunflower family . Some of the species have the common name of "mayweed," but this name also refers to plants not in this genus....

. From Arabic Al-Bahar.
albitana: 1)Fence to protect plants in gardening. 2) Prolongation of the keel or stern post of a ship. From Arabic al-bitana.
alboaire:
albogue
Albogue
The albogue is a single-reed clarinet coming from Spain, especially from Madrid , Asturias , Castile and Andalusia .It is similar to a hornpipe, like the Welsh pibgorn and the Basque alboka....

: Single-reed clarinet used in Spain. From Arabic al-bûq (البوق): The horn or the trumpet.
alboheza
albohol
albollón
albóndiga: meatball; ball. From Arabic al-bunduqa (البندقة) "the ball."
albórbola
alborga: matweed sandal. From Arabic albúlḡa
albornía
albornoz: Bath-robe. From al-burnos (البرنس); "bathrobe".
alboronía
alboroque
alboroto: Riot, joy. Comes from arabism alborozo (joy), from andalusí-arab al-burúz derived from Classical Arabic
Classical Arabic
Classical Arabic , also known as Qur'anic or Koranic Arabic, is the form of the Arabic language used in literary texts from Umayyad and Abbasid times . It is based on the Medieval dialects of Arab tribes...

al-burūz, "military parade previous to a campaign".
alborozo
albotín
albricias
albudeca
albufera
albur
alcabala
Alcabala
The alcabala or alcavala was a sales tax of up to fourteen percent, the most important royal tax imposed by Spain under the Antiguo Régimen....

: A tax.
alcabor
alcabtea
alcacel
alcachofa: Artichoke. From al-ẖarshoof of the same meaning.
alcaduz: Water pipe. From Arabic Qâdûs (قادوس) meaning "water-wheel scoop"
alcafar
alcahaz: Birdcage. From Arabic (قفص) of the same meaning
alcahuete: Accomplice, a person who helps another in a love affair, specially an illicit one; gossipy person. Alcahuete comes from hispanic arabic alqawwad (the messenger), and this from Classical Arabic
Classical Arabic
Classical Arabic , also known as Qur'anic or Koranic Arabic, is the form of the Arabic language used in literary texts from Umayyad and Abbasid times . It is based on the Medieval dialects of Arab tribes...

qawwad. This "messenger" carried messages to a married woman's lover. By extension it became commonly known as any person who sets up a love affair, generally illicit.
alcaicería
alcaide:
alcalde: Mayor. From Arabic al-qadi (the judge). Qadi comes from the verb qada (to judge).
álcali: alkali. From Arabic qalawi (قلوي) of the same meaning.
alcaller
alcamiz
alcamonías
alcana
alcaná
alcancía: Clay money box, penny or piggy bank
Piggy bank
Piggy bank is the traditional name of a coin accumulation and storage receptacle; it is most often, but not exclusively, used by children. The piggy bank is known to collectors as a "still bank" as opposed to the "mechanical banks" popular in the early 20th century. These items are also often used...

. From Andalusi Arabic alkanzíyya, derived from classical Arabic kanz: treasure.
alcándara
alcandía
alcandora
alcanería
alcanfor
alcántara/alcantarilla: drain; From Arabic al-qantarah meaning bridge.
alcaparra: caper. From Andalusian Arabic al-kaparra. Via Latin and Greek.
alcaraván
alcaravea
alcarceña
alcarraza
alcarria:
alcatanes
alcatara (or alquitara)
alcatifa
alcatraz: a bird of the Sulidae
Sulidae
The bird family Sulidae comprises the gannets and boobies. Collectively called sulidas, they are medium-large coastal seabirds that plunge-dive for fish and similar prey. The ten species in this family are often considered congeneric in older sources, placing all in the genus Sula...

family, from arabic القطرس al-qaṭrās, meaning sea eagle.
alcaucil, artichoke. From Spanish Arabic: alqabsíl[a], that comes from mozarab diminutive , and this from Spanish Latin: capĭtia, head. (Standard latin, Caput-itis)
alcavela
alcazaba
alcázar: citadel; palace. From Arabic al-qasr (القصر) "the citadel."
alcazuz (or orozuz)
alcoba: alcove. From Arabic al-qubba "the vault" or "the arch."
alcohela
alcohol: from Arabic al-kuhul (الكحول) fine powder of antimony sulfide
Stibnite
Stibnite, sometimes called antimonite, is a sulfide mineral with the formula Sb2S3. This soft grey material crystallizes in an orthorhombic space group. It is the most important source for the metalloid antimony...

used as eye makeup.
alcoholar
alcolla
alcor
alcora
alcorcí
alcorque
alcorza
alcotán
alcotana
alcrebite
alcuacil
alcubilla
alcuña
alcuza
alcuzcuz
alchub
aldaba
aldea/aldeano: Village/Villager.
aldiza
alefriz
aleja
alejija
alema
alerce
aletría
aleve/alevoso/alevosía
aleya
alfaba
alfábega
alfadía
alfaguara: Geyser. From Arabic fawwâra (فوارة): spout, fountain, jet d'eau
alfahar/alfaharería
alfaida
alfajeme
alfajor: Sweet almond shortbread. From Spanish Arabic fašúr, and this from Persian afšor (juice).
alfalfa: alfalfa. From Arabic al-fafaa literally "the best kind of fodder"
alfaneque (two meanings, a type of bird, from Arabic al-fanak and a tent from Berber afarag)
alfanje: A type of sword. From The Arabic al-janyar "dagger"
alfaque
alfaqueque
alfaquí
alfaquín
alfaraz
alfarda (two meanings from al-farda and from al-fardda)
alfarero: potter
alfardón
alfareme
alfarje
alfarrazar
alfaya
alfayate
alfazaque
alféizar: Window ledge. From Arabic al-Hayzar "the one which takes possession".
alfeñique
alferecía
alferez
alferraz
alferza
alficoz
alfil: bishop, in chess. From Arabic al-feel (الفيل) "the elephant."
alfilel/alfiler
alfinge
alfitete
alfiz
alfolí
alfombra (two meanings from al-jumra and al-humra)
alfóncijo: pistachio. From Arabic al-fustuq.
alfóndega
alforfón
alforja: saddlebag. From Arabic al-khurj ( الخرج ) "saddle-bag," portmanteau
alforre
alforrocho
alforza
alfóstigo
alfoz: Neighborhood, district. From Arabic hauz (حوز) meaning "Precinct" or "City limits"
algaba
algadara
algaida
algalaba
algalia
algalife
algar
algara
algarada
algarabía: incomprehensible talk; gabble; gibberish. From Arabic al-'arabiya: "Arabic".
algarivo
algarazo: Short rainstorm. From Arabic al 'ard: "cloud".
algarrada
algarrobo: carob. From Arabic al-kharouba "the carob."
algavaro
algazafán
algazara
algazul
álgebra: algebra. From the name of al-Khwarizmi' book Hisab al-jabr w’al-muqabala "The Calculus of Subtraction and Equality."
algecireño
algodón, "cotton", from Arabic "al-qúţun (قطن)", meaning "the cotton"
algorfa
algoritmo, algorithm
Algorithm
In mathematics and computer science, an algorithm is an effective method expressed as a finite list of well-defined instructions for calculating a function. Algorithms are used for calculation, data processing, and automated reasoning...

, that comes from the name of Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi
Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi
'There is some confusion in the literature on whether al-Khwārizmī's full name is ' or '. Ibn Khaldun notes in his encyclopedic work: "The first who wrote upon this branch was Abu ʿAbdallah al-Khowarizmi, after whom came Abu Kamil Shojaʿ ibn Aslam." . 'There is some confusion in the literature on...

, محمد بن موسى الخوارزمي, famous mathematician.
algorza:
alguacil, "Sherrif", from Arabic "al-wazîr (الوزير)," meaning "Minister"
alguaquida: fuel for a fire. From Arabic waqîda (وقيدة) meaning "Fuel"
alguaza: Window or door hinge.From Arabic wasl "juncture".

A (Alhadida to Azumbre)

alhadida: Old Spanish term for Hadith
Hadith
The term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....

.
alhaite: jewel. From Arabic al hayt "string".
alhaja: jewel. From Arabic al-hagah "the valuable thing."
alhamar: Red matress or bed cover. From Arabic hanbal: fur bedcover.
alhamel: (Andalusian Spanish) Beast of burden or human porter. From Arabic hammal.
alhamí: Stone bench normally covered with azulejos. Refers to the Grenadine town of Alhama.
alhandal: Colocynth
Colocynth
Citrullus colocynthis, commonly known as the colocynth, bitter apple, bitter cucumber, egusi, or vine of Sodom , is a viny plant native to the Mediterranean Basin and Asia, especially Turkey , Nubia, and Trieste...

. From Arabic Alhanzal.
alhanía: 1) Bedroom 2) cupboard 3) A type of small mattress. From Andalusi Arabic al haniyya: Alcove.
alhaquín: Weaver. From Arabic plural Al Hayikeen. Weavers.
alharaca: Violent reaction to a small issue. From Arabic haraka.
alhavara: Flour. From Arabic huwara.
alhelí: Aegean Wallflower. From Arabic hiri.
alheña: Spanish word for Henna
Henna
Henna is a flowering plant used since antiquity to dye skin, hair, fingernails, leather and wool. The name is also used for dye preparations derived from the plant, and for the art of temporary tattooing based on those dyes...

and the plant from which it is derived.
alholva:Fenugreek
Fenugreek
Fenugreek is a plant in the family Fabaceae. Fenugreek is used both as a herb and as a spice . The leaves and sprouts are also eaten as vegetables...

. From Arabic hulbah-
alhorí: Same meaning and etymology as more commonly used term Alfolí.
alhorre: 1) Feaces of newly born child. From Arabic hur: feaces. 2)Skin rash common in babies. Commonly used in expression yo te curaré el alhorre when threatening to beat a child. From Arabic Shakatu el hurr, skin infection.
alhorría: (or ahorría): Expression used for when a slave is freed. From Arabic al-hurriya: Freedom.
alhucema: Lavender
Lavender
The lavenders are a genus of 39 species of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae. An Old World genus, distributed from Macaronesia across Africa, the Mediterranean, South-West Asia, Arabia, Western Iran and South-East India...

. From Arabic: huzama.
alhuceña: Woodruff
Woodruff
Galium odoratum is a perennial plant in the family Rubiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa and Western Asia.A herbaceous plant, it grows to 30-50 cm long, often lying flat on the ground or supported by other plants...

. From Arabic uhshina.
aliara: Drinking horn. From Andalusian Arabic al fiyara.
alicante: Vernacular name of two different types of posionous snakes present in Spain and Northern Mexico respectively. From Arabic al aqrab: scorpion.
alicatar: To till. From Arabic qat "to cut".
alicate: Pliers. From Arabic laqaat: "tongs.
alidada: Alidade. From Andalusian Arabic: al'idada.
alifa: (Used in Andalusian and Mexican Spanish) Sugar cane which is two years old. From Arabic halifa: "successor".
alifafe: 1)Light indisposition. 2) Type of tumor which develops on the legs of horses from excessive work. From Arabic: ifash: Sowing bag.
alifara
alijar
alimara
alioj
alirón
alizace
alizar
aljaba
aljabibe
aljama
aljamía/aljamiado: Medieval Romance Spanish or Mozarabic written in Arabic script.
aljaraz
aljarfa
aljébana
aljerife
aljez
aljibe
aljófar/aljofarar
aljofifa
aljor (or aljez)
aljuba
aljuma
añagaza
almacabra
almacén: deposit, dry goods store. From Arabic al-majzan of makhzan (المخزن) "the storage" or "the depot."
almacería
almáciga
almadén
almádena
almadía
almadraba
Almadraba
Almadraba tuna is tuna caught by an elaborate and age-old Andalusian technique of setting nets in a maze that leads to a central pool called "copo". In Sicily, the mazes of nets, and also the places where the nets are set are called Tonnara, and the overall method of capturing the fishes is called...

: Tuna fishing in Andalusia and particularly in Cadiz province. From Andalusi Arabic Al-madraba, "place where one beats something or fights", in reference to the fishing technique.
almadraque
almagazén
almagra
almahala
almaizar
almaja
almajaneque
almajar
almajara
almalafa
almanaque: almanac
Almanac
An almanac is an annual publication that includes information such as weather forecasts, farmers' planting dates, and tide tables, containing tabular information in a particular field or fields often arranged according to the calendar etc...

(see etymology section in the article for further discussion). From Arabic al-manakh (المناخ) "the climate." Or possibly from Greek almenichiakon "calendar."
almacebe
almarada
almarbate
almarcha
almarjo
almarrá
almarraja or almarraza
almártaga (two meanings, from al-marta'a and al martak)
almástica
almatroque
almazara
almazarrón
almea (two meanings, from almay'a and alima)

almejía

almenara (two meanings, from al-manara and al-minhara)

almez

almíbar

almicantarat

almijar

almijara

almijarra

almimbar

alminar

almiraj/almiraje/almiral

almirez

almirón: Dandelion. From Andalusian Arabic: al Mirun.

almizate

almizcle/almizque

almocadén

almocafre

almocárabe

almoceda

almocrebe

almocrí

almodón

almófar

almofariz

almofía

almofrej/almofrez

almogama

almogávar

almohada: Pillow, from Arabic al-makhada with the same meaning.

almohade

almoharrefa

almohaza

almojábana

almojama (see mojama)

almojarife

almojaya

almona

almoneda

almoraduj/almoradux

almorávide:

almorí

almoronía: See alboronía.

almotacén

almotalafe

almotazaf/almotazán

almozala/almozalla

almud

almuédano

almuerzo

almunia

alpargata

alpechín

alpiste

alquería: farmhouse. From Arabic al-qaria "the village."

aloque

aloquín

alpargata

alquequenje

alquería

alquermes

alquerque (Two meanings from al-qirq and al-qariq)

alquez

alquezar

alquibla

alquicel

alquilar: Rent.

alquimia

alquinal

alquitira

alquitrán

alrota

altabaca

altamía

altramuz

alubia: pea bean
aludel
aluquete/luquete
alloza
amán
ámbar
ámel
amín
amirí
anacalo
anacora
anafaga
anafalla/anafaya
anafe
anaquel
andorra
andrajo
anea
anejir
anorza
anúteba
añacal
añacea/añacear
añafea
añafil
añagaza
añascar
añazme
añicos
añil (ultimately from Sanskrit nilah "dark blue")

arabí

arancel

arbellón/arbollón

archí

argadillo

argamandel

argamula

argán

argel

argolla

arguello/arguellarse

arije

arimez

arjorán

arnadí

arrabá

arrabal

arracada

arráez

arrayán

arrecife

arrejaque/arrejacar

arrelde

arrequife

arrequive

arriate

arricés

arroba

arrobda

arrocabe

arrope

arroz: Rice.

áscar/áscari

asequi

asesino: assassin. From Arabic hashshshin "someone who is addicted to hashish (marijuana)." Was originally use to refer to the followers of the Persian Hassan-i-Sabah
Hassan-i-Sabah
Hassan-i Sabbāh was a Persian Nizārī Shi'a Ismā'īlī Muslim missionary who converted a community in the late 11th century in the heart of the Alborz Mountains of northern Iran. The place was called Alamut and was attributed to an ancient king of Daylam...

(حسن صباح), the Hashshashin
Hashshashin
The Assassins were an order of Nizari Ismailis, particularly those of Persia that existed from around 1092 to 1265...

.

atabaca

atabal

atabe

atacar : to tie, to button up. From Andalusi Arabic tákka, originally from classical Arabic tikkah, ribbon used to fasten clothes. Not to be confused with atacar with the meaning of "to attack", of Italian origin.
atacir
atafarra/ataharre
atafea
atahona
atahorma
ataifor
ataire
atalaya
atalvina
atambor
atanor
atanquía
ataracea
atarazana
atarfe
atarjea
atarraga
atarraya
ataúd: Coffin.
ataujía
ataurique
atifle
atijara
atíncar
atoba
atocha
atracae
atoque
atríaca/atriaca
atún: Tuna.
atutía
auge: Surge/rise.
aulaga
avería
ayatolá
azabache
azabara
azacán
azacaya
azache
azafate/azafata
azafrán: saffron. From Arabic za'firan of the same meaning. Perhaps from safra "yellow."

azahar: White flower, especially from the orange tree. From Spanish Arabic azzahár, and this from Classic Arabic zahr, flowers

azalá

azamboa

azándar

azaque

azaquefa: Covered portico or patio. From Andalusi Arabic assaqifa, portico.

azar: luck; chance. From Arabic az-zahr "the dice." or North African Arabic az-zhar "luck".

azarbe

azarcón

azarja

azarnefe

azarote

azófar

azofra/azofrar

azogue (two meanings: from az-za'uq and from as-suq)

azolvar

azorafa

azote: Smacking, beating, scourge. From Arabic Sawt.

azotea: Flat roof or terrace. From Andalusi Arabic assutáyha, diminutive of sath, terrace in classical Arabic.

azoya

azúcar: sugar. From Arabic (سكر) sukkar of the same meaning.

azucarí

azucena

azuche

azud

azufaifa/azufaifo

azul: Blue. Derived from Arabic Azraqa.

azulaque (or zulaque)

azulejo

azúmbar

azumbre: Measurement for liquids equivalent to around two litres. From Del Andalusi Arabic aTTúmn, and this from classical Arabic: Tum[u]n, "an eighth".

babismo: Babism. From Arabic باب "door."

babucha: Slippers. From Arabic Baboush, derived from Persian "Papoosh" literally meaning "foot covering". The transition from Persian "p" to Arabic "b" occurs due to lack of the letter p in Arabic alphabet. "Pa-" in Persian means foot and "poosh" means covering. Persian "pa" or foot shares the same root with other Indo-European languages, i.e. Latin pede[m], French "pied", Spanish "pie" and "pata",etc.

badal: Cut of meat from the back and ribs of cattle, close to the neck. From Andalusi Arabic bad'a "Calf muscle" derived from classical Arabic bad'ah "piece".

badán: Trunk of an animal. From Arabic badan.

badana: 1) Sheepskin, 2) hat lining 3) Lazy person. From Arabic bitana, "lining".

badea: 1) Watermelon or Melon of bad quality. 2) Insipid cucumber 3) Weak person 4) Unimportant thing. From Arabic battiha: "bad melon".

badén: Dip in land, road, sidewalk or ford. From Arabic batin: Sunken (land).

bagarino: Free or hired sailor, as opposed to a press-ganged or enslaven one. Same origin as baharí.

bagre: a freshwater fish that has no scales and has a chin. From Arabic baghir or baghar.

baharí: Bird of prey
Bird of prey
Birds of prey are birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing, using their keen senses, especially vision. They are defined as birds that primarily hunt vertebrates, including other birds. Their talons and beaks tend to be relatively large, powerful and adapted for tearing and/or piercing flesh....

. From Arabic bahri: "from the sea".

baja: pasha, Turkish officer or governor of high rank. From Arabic basha ultimately from Turkish pasha of the same meaning.

baladí: 1) Unimportant thing or matter. 2) Something of the land our country. From Arabic baladiy "From the country".

balaj/balaje: Purple ruby. From Arabic Balahshi: From Balahshan (region in central Asia where these stones are found).

balate

balda (and baldío)

baldar

balde: 1)Free. 2) without cause or 3) in vain. from Arabic batil "false" or "useless."

bancal

baño

baraka

barbacana

barcino

bardaje

bardoma/bardomera

barragán

barrio/barriada: Area, district or neighbourhood in a town. From Arabic barri "outside".

bata (either from Arabic batt of French ouate)

batán

batea

baurac

bayal

baza (either Arabic or Italian origin)

bazar-bazaar

belez

bellota: acorn, the fruit or seed of the oak tree. From Arabic balluta of the same meaning.

ben

benimerín

benjui

berberí

berberís

bereber

berenjena/berenjenal

bezaar/bezoar

biznaga

bocací

bodoque/bodocal

bófeta

bórax

borní

boronía

botor

bujía

bulbul

burche

buz

buzaque

cabila: tribe of Berbers or Bedouins. From Arabic qabila "tribe."

cachera

cadí

cadira

café: coffee. From qahwa of the same meaning.

cáfila

cafiz (or cahiz)

cafre

caftán

cáid (same origin as alcaide)

caimacán

cala

calabaza: Pumpkin or squash. From Arabic qerabat, plural of qerbah, meaning wineskin.

calafate/calafatear

calahorra

calí (same root as álcali)

cálibo/calibre

cambuj

camocán

canana-cartridge belt

cáncana/cancanilla

cáncano

cande (in azúcar cande)

canfor

caraba

cárabe

cárabo: owl; dog. Taken from qaraab and kalb "dog," respectively.

caracoa

caramida

caramuzal

caravana

caravasar

carcajada/carcajear

carcax

carmen/carme: From Spanish Arabic kárm, and this from Classic Arabic karm, vine.

carmesí: crimson. From quirmizi

carmín

carraca

carrafa

cártama/cártamo

catán

catifa

cazurro

cebiche

cebtí

ceca

cedoaria

cegatero

cegrí

ceje

celemí/celemín/celeminero

cenacho

cendolilla

cenefa

ceneque

cení

cenia

cenit

cequí

cerbatana

cero: zero. From sifr of the same meaning.
cetís
ceutí
chafariz
chafarote
chaleco
charrán
chifla
chilaba (from Moroccan Arabic)
chiquero
chirivía
chisme
chivo
choz
chupa
chuzo
cianí
cibica
cica
cicalar
cicatear
cicatero (cicatero has a different root to cicatear)
ciclán
ciclar
ciclatón
cid
cifaque
cifra/cifrar
címbara
cimboga
cimitarra
circón
citara
civeta/civeto
coba/cobista
cofa
coima
coime
colcótar
cora
Corán
corbacho
corma
cotonía
cubeba
cúrcuma
curdo
cuscuta

D, E

dado: die (cube or stamp). From Classical Arabic a'dad "numbers."

daga - dagger

dahír

daifa

dante

darga (or adarga)-shield

dársena-dock/basin

daza

derviche

descafilar

destartalado

dey

dínar

dirham

diván-divan/couch

droga-drug

druso

dula/dular

edrisí

ejarbe

elche

elemí

embelecar/embeleco

emir (or amir)

encaramar

enchufar/enchufe: To plug in/plug; To connect, to offer a job or a post through personal connections. From Andalusi Arabic Juf derived from Classical Arabic Jawf: stomach; internal cavity.

engarzar-to set/thread

enjalma

enjarje

enjeco

escabeche: Pickle or marinade. From Arabic as-sukbaj. Originally from Persian Sekba.

escafilar (see descafilar)

escaque/escaquear

espinaca-spinach

exarico

F, G

faca

falagar

falca

falleba

faltriquera-pocket

falúa/faluca

fanega/hanega

fanfarrón

faranga (or haragán), lazy, idler, loafer

farda

fardacho

farfán

fárfara

farnaca

farota

farruco: Insolent or "cocky". From Andalusian Arabic Farrouj: Cock.
felús
fetua
fez
fideo
filelí
foceifiza
fondolí
fondac/fonda
foz
fulano, "any one" without naming, X of people. Arabic: Fulan.
fustal
fustete
gabán
gabela
gacel/gacela
gafetí
galacho
galanga
galbana
gálibo
galima
gandula/gandula
gañan
garama
garbino
gardacho
garfa
gárgol
garra
garrafa
garrama
garroba
gazpacho
gilí
gomer
granadí
grisgrís
guadamací
guájara
guájete
guala
guarismo
guifa
guilla
gumía
gurapas

H, I

habiz: Donation of real estate under certain conditions to muslim religious institutions. From Classical Arabic: ḥabīs: amortized.

habús: Same meaning as "Habiz" is Morroco. From Arabic ḥubūs: Property belonging to the deceased used for charity.

hachís: Hashish. From Classical Arabic Hashish": Grass.

hacino: Miser or From Andalusian Arabic ḥazīn".

hadruba: Hump (on someone's back): From Andalusian Arabic ḥadúbba.

hafiz: Guard or Minder. From Andalusian Arabic ḥāfiẓ.

hálara: (Same meaning and etimology as "Fárfara") 1) Interior lining of egg. 2) Coldsfoot. Form Andalusian Arabic: falḡalála.

hamudí: Descendants of Ali Ben Hamud, founders of the Málaga and Algericas Taifas during the 11th century.

haragán: 1) Someone who refuses to work. 2) In Cuba and Venezuela, a type of mop. From Andalusian Arabic: khra kan: "Was shit".

harambel: See "arambel".

harbar

harén

harma

harón

Hasaní

hasta: "Until". From Arabic hatta (same meaning). Influenced by Latin phrase 'ad ista'

hataca

hazaña

he: Adverb used in following manner: "he aquí/ahí/allí": Here it is/there it is. From Arabic haa.

hégira

hobacho/hobacha

holgazán: Lazy person. From Arabic Kaslan. Influenced by Holgar.

holgar

hoque/oque

horro/horra

imam, imán

imela

islam

J, K

jabalí : Wild Boar. From Arabic jebeli: From the mountains. Perhaps originally from Khanzeer Jebelí: Mountain Pig.

jabalón

jábega

jabeca

jabeque

jabí : A type of apple and type of grape. From Andalusi Arabic sha‘bí, a type of apple.

jácara

jácena

jacerino

jadraque

jaez

jaguarzo

jaharí

jaharral

jaharrar

jaima

jaique

jalear

jalma (or enjalma)

jaloque

jamacuco

jametería

jámila

japuta

jaque

jaqueca: Migraine. From Arabic Shaqiqa, with same meaning.

jáquima

jara

jarabe: Syrup. Usually in the context of cough syrup or linctus.

jaraíz

jarcha

jareta

jaricar

jarifo/jarifa

jarquía

jarra: Pitcher or other pot with handle(s). From , same as english jar.

jatib

jazarino/jazarina

jazmín: jasmine. From Arabic yasmin then from Persian word the same word

jebe

jeliz

jemesía

jeque: From Arabic shaikh or sheikh
Sheikh
Not to be confused with sikhSheikh — also spelled Sheik or Shaikh, or transliterated as Shaykh — is an honorific in the Arabic language that literally means "elder" and carries the meaning "leader and/or governor"...

, older

jerife: From Arabic sharif
Sharif
Sharīf or Chérif is a traditional Arab tribal title given to those who serve as the protector of the tribe and all tribal assets, such as property, wells, and land. In origin, the word is an adjective meaning "noble", "highborn". The feminine singular is sharifa...

, noble, respected.

jeta: Snout, face, cheek (in both literal and figurative sense). From Arabic khatm: "snout".

jifa

jinete

jirafa: giraffe. From ziraffa of the same meaning.

jirel

jofaina: a wide and shallow basin for domestic use. From .

jofor

jorfe

joroba

jorro

juba/aljuba/jubón

jurdía

jurel

kermes

L, M

laca: resinous substance tapped from the Lacquer Tree
Lacquer Tree
Toxicodendron vernicifluum , also known with the common name Chinese lacquer tree, is a species of genus Toxicodendron that grows in East Asia, in regions of China, Korea and Japan...

. From Arabic lak, taken from Persian lak, ultimately from Sanskrit laksha literally meaning "one hundred thousand" referring to the large number of insects that gather and sap out all the resin from the trees.

lacre

lapislázuli: lapis lazuli
Lapis lazuli
Lapis lazuli is a relatively rare semi-precious stone that has been prized since antiquity for its intense blue color....

, a deep blue mineral. From Arabic lazaward (لازورد) from Persian lagvard or lazward, ultimately from Sanskrit rajavarta literally meaning "ringlet of the king."

latón: brass. From Arabic latun from Turkish altın "gold."

laúd: lute. From Arabic al 'ud (العود) "the lute."

lebeche: Southeasterly wind on the Mediterranean coast of Spain. From Andalusi Arabic Labash.

lebení: a Moorish beverage prepared from soured milk
Soured milk
Soured milk is a food product, distinguished from spoiled milk, and is a general term for milk that has acquired a tart taste, either through the addition of an acid, such as lemon juice or vinegar, or through bacterial fermentation. The acid causes milk to coagulate and form a thicker consistency...

. From Arabic labani (لباني) "dairy."

leila: from Arabic layla (ليلة) "night."

lelilí: Shouts and noise made by moors when going into combat or when celebrating parties. From la illaha ila allah( لا إله إلا الله): There is no god but Allah; Ya leilí (ياليلي) : Night of mine; ya 'ayouni (يا عيوني) : My eyes.

lima: lime. From Arabic limah of the same meaning.

limón: lemon. From laymoon (ليمون) , derived from the Chinese word limung.

loco: crazy. From Arabic lawqa "fool."

macabro

macsura

madraza

magacén

magarza/magarzuela

maglaca

maharon/maharona

maharrana/marrana/marrano

mahozmedín

maimón

majareta

majzén

mamarracho

mameluco

mamola

mandeísmo

mandil

maquila

marabú

maravedí

marcasita

marchamo

márfega

marfil

marfuz/a

margomar

marjal

marlota

marojo

maroma

marrano pig; cf. Arabic muharram "forbidden".

marras

márraga

masamuda: (adj) Individual from the Berber Masmuda tribe, from which originate the Almohades, a movement which ruled Spain and North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...

in the 12th century. From Arabic: Masamuda.

matafalúa

mártaga

máscara

matarife

mate

matraca

matula

mauraca

mazapán

mazarí

mazarrón

mazmodina

mazmorra: Dungeon. From Arabic matmura "silo".

mazorca: corn cob; roll of wool or cotton. From Andalusi Arabic: Masurqa, derived from classical Arabic Masura (ماسورة) : a tube used as a bobbin (sewing) .

meca: Place which is attractive because of a particular activity. From Arabic Mekkah(مكة).

mechinal

mejala

mejunje

mendrugo

mengano/mengana: Expression of similar meaning as fulano or zutano, used always after the former but after the latter, meaning "whoever". From Arabic man kan meaning "whoever".

mequetrefe: Nosy or useless person. From Andalusi Arabi qatras meaning person of boastful demeanor.

mercal

metical

mezquino

mía: A military term, formerly designating a regular native unit composed of 100 men in the Spanish protectorate of northern Morocco; by analogy, any colonial army. From Arabic Mi'ah: one hundred(مئة).

mihrab:

miramamolín

moaxaja

mogataz

mogate

moharra

moharracho

mohatra

mohedal

mohino

mojama
Mojama
Mojama is a Spanish delicacy consisting of filleted salt-cured tuna.The word mojama comes from the Arabic musama , but its origins are Phoenician, specifically from Gdr , the first Phoenician settlement in the Western Mediterranean Sea...

(originally almojama): Delicacy of phoenician origin from the region of Cadiz. It consists of filleted salt-cured tuna. From the Arabic al mushama: "momified or waxed".

mojí

momia

mona

monfí

morabito

moraga

morapio

mozárabe

mudéjar

muftí

mujalata

mulato: Likely from Muwallad, as with the Muladi
Muladi
The Muladi were Muslims of ethnic Iberian descent or of mixed Arab, Berber and European origin, who lived in Al-Andalus during the Middle Ages. They were also called "Musalima" .-Etymology:...

. Walad (ولد ) means, "descendant, offspring, scion; child; son; boy; young animal, young one". According to DRAE, from mulo (mule), in the sense of hybrid.

mulquía

muslim / muslime: (Adjective) Muslim. A rare alternative to musulmán. From Arabic Muslim (مسلم).

N, O, P, Q

nabí: Prophet among arabs. From Arabic nabiy.

nacar: Innermost of the three layers of a seashell. From Catalan nacre, derived from Andalusi Arabic naqra, small drum.

nácara: Type of small metallic drum used historically by the Spanish cavalry. Same etymology as nacar.

nadir: Nadir, the point on the celestial sphere opposite the zenith directly below the observer. From nadheer.

nádir: In Morocco, administrator of a religious foundation.

nagüela: Small hut for human habitation. From Andalusi Arabic nawalla: hut.

naife: High quality diamond. From Andalusi Arabic nayif. Originally from classical Arabic na'if: excellent.

naipe: Playing card. From Catalan naíp. Originally from Arabic ma'ib.

naranja: from Arabic nāranja, fr Persian nārang, fr Sanskrit nāranga, fr a Dravidian language akin to Tamil naŗu "fragrant".

narguile

natrón

nazarí: Related to the Nasrid kingdom or dynasty of Granada
Granada
Granada is a city and the capital of the province of Granada, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, at the confluence of three rivers, the Beiro, the Darro and the Genil. It sits at an elevation of 738 metres above sea...

.

nenúfar: Water-lily
Nymphaeaceae
Nymphaeaceae is a family of flowering plants. Members of this family are commonly called water lilies and live in freshwater areas in temperate and tropical climates around the world. The family contains eight genera. There are about 70 species of water lilies around the world. The genus...

. From Arabic naylufar from Persian nilofer, niloofar, niloufar.

nesga

noria: Watermill
Watermill
A watermill is a structure that uses a water wheel or turbine to drive a mechanical process such as flour, lumber or textile production, or metal shaping .- History :...

, Ferris wheel
Ferris wheel
A Ferris wheel is a nonbuilding structure consisting of a rotating upright wheel with passenger cars attached to the rim in such a way that as the wheel turns, the cars are kept upright, usually by gravity.Some of the largest and most modern Ferris wheels have cars mounted on...

. From Arabic na'urah.

nuca: Nape of the neck. From Arabic nuḫā^' نخاع ، منخع , via Medieval Latin nucha.

ojalá: "I hope"; "I wish that...". From "God willing."

¡ole! (or olé): The most famous expression of approval, support or encouragement, possibly comes from wa-llah و الله , by Allah!

omeya: adj. Related to the Ummayyad.

orozuz

ox

papagayo

quermes

quilate/quirate

quilma

quina

quintal: weight unit of about 46 kg.

R, S, T

rabadán

rabal

rabazuz

rabel

rábida

rafal

rafe

ragua

rahez

ramadán

rambla

rauda

rauta

real: Military encampment; plot where a fair is organized; (in Murcia region) small plot or garden. From Arabic rahl: camping.

rebato

rebite

recamar

recua

redoma

rehala

rehalí

rehén: Hostage or captive. From Arabic رهينة, captive, ransom.

rejalgar: realgar
Realgar
Realgar, α-As4S4, is an arsenic sulfide mineral, also known as "ruby sulphur" or "ruby of arsenic". It is a soft, sectile mineral occurring in monoclinic crystals, or in granular, compact, or powdery form, often in association with the related mineral, orpiment . It is orange-red in colour, melts...

. From Andalusi Arabic reheg al-ghar: "powder of the cave"

requive

resma

retama

rincón: Corner. From Andalusi Arabic rukan, derived from classicar Arabic Rukn.

robda

robo (or arroba)

roda

romí/rumí

ronzal

roque

sajelar

salema

sandía: Watermelon. From Arabic Sindiya "from Sindh (province in India)".

sarasa: Homosexual or effeminate man. From "Zaraza".

sarraceno

sebestén

secácul

serafín

siroco

sofí

sófora

soldán

soltaní

sufí

sura

tabal (or atabal)

tabaque

tabefe

tabica

tabique

taca

tafurea

tagarino/tagarina

tagarnina

taha

tahalí

tahona

tahúr

taifa
Taifa
In the history of the Iberian Peninsula, a taifa was an independent Muslim-ruled principality, usually an emirate or petty kingdom, though there was one oligarchy, of which a number formed in the Al-Andalus after the final collapse of the Umayyad Caliphate of Córdoba in 1031.-Rise:The origins of...

: Refers to an independent Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...

-ruled principality, an emirate
Emirate
An emirate is a political territory that is ruled by a dynastic Muslim monarch styled emir.-Etymology:Etymologically emirate or amirate is the quality, dignity, office or territorial competence of any emir ....

or petty kingdom
Petty kingdom
A petty kingdom is one of a number of small kingdoms, described as minor or "petty" by contrast to an empire or unified kingdom that either preceded or succeeded it...

, of which a number formed in the Al-Andalus
Al-Andalus
Al-Andalus was the Arabic name given to a nation and territorial region also commonly referred to as Moorish Iberia. The name describes parts of the Iberian Peninsula and Septimania governed by Muslims , at various times in the period between 711 and 1492, although the territorial boundaries...

(Moorish
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...

Iberia) after the final collapse of the Umayyad
Umayyad
The Umayyad Caliphate was the second of the four major Arab caliphates established after the death of Muhammad. It was ruled by the Umayyad dynasty, whose name derives from Umayya ibn Abd Shams, the great-grandfather of the first Umayyad caliph. Although the Umayyad family originally came from the...

Caliphate of Córdoba in 1031. Used in numerous expressions. Can also mean 1) a faction 2) a group of people of ill judgement. 3) un reino de Taifas (a kingdom of Taifas) can also refer to a chaotic or disorderly state of affairs. From classical Arabic Ta'ifah: faction.

tajea

talco

talega

talvina

támara

tamarindo

tambor

tara

taracea

taraje

tarasí

tarbea

tarea

tareco

tarida

tarifa

tarima

tarquín

tarraya

taza: cup. From Tasa.

tértil

tíbar

tochibí

tomín

toronja

toronjil

trafalmejas

truchimán/na

trujamán/na

tuera

tumbaga

Tunecí

turbit

turquí (in Azul Turquí)

tutía (or atutía)

V, X, Y, Z

vacarí: from Arabic baqari (بقري) "bovine."

valencí: Uva Valencia. A type of grape from Murcia region in South East Spain.

velmez: from Arabic malbas (ملبس) "clothing."

verdín: Spontaneous growth of grass or sprouting. From Arabic bardi (Same etymology as albardín). Influenced by Spanish word "Verde".

visir: vizier. From Arabic wazir (وزير) "minister."

yébel: from Arabic jabal; "mountain"

zabalmedina: in the Middle Ages, judge with civil and criminal jurisdiction in a city. From Arabic Sahib al Medina "Chief of the City."

zabarcera: women who sells fruits and other food. Same origin as abacero

zabazala: imam who leads Islamic prayer. From Arabic SaHb aS-Salah "Leader of prayer."

zabazoque: same meaning as almotacén. From Arabic SáHb as súq "Leader of the Market."

zábila: aloe vera
Aloe vera
Aloe vera, pronounced , also known as the true aloe or medicinal aloe, is a species of succulent plant in the genus Aloe that is believed to have originated in the Sudan. Aloe vera grows in arid climates and is widely distributed in Africa, India, Nepal and other arid areas.The species is...

(used mainly in Latin America) From Andalusi Arabic sabíra, originally from classical Arabic Sibar.

zabra: type of vessel used in the Bay of Biscay in the Middle Ages and the beginning of the Modern Age. From Arabic zauraq.

zacatín: in some villages, a square where clothes are sold. From saqqatin, plural of saqqat: seller of clothes.

zafar: a number of meanings in Spain and Latin American countries: To free, to untie, to ignore, to unknit among others. From Arabic azaHa: to take away.

zafarí: Granada zafarí: a type of pomegranate. Higo zafarí: a type of fig. From Arabic Safr.

zafariche: Structure used for placing clay urns. Same etymology as jaraíz (see above).

zafio: Uncouth. From Andalusi Arabic Fellah safi: "Mere peasant".

zafrán: See Azafran.

zaga: Backside of something. Cargo on the back of a truck. From Arabic Saqah: Rear, rearguard.

zagal: boy. From Andalusian Arabic zaḡál, traditional Arabic zuḡlūl. Same meaning.

zagaya (or azagaya)

zagua

zaguán: hall. From Andalusian Arabic istawán, traditional Arabic usṭuwān(ah).

zagüía

zaharrón

zahén

zahón

zahora: (Mainly used in Spanish region of La Mancha): Large meal accompanied by dancing or partying. From Arabic Islamic term suhoor
Suhoor
Suhoor , also called Sehur, Sehri, Sahari and Sahur in other languages, is an Islamic term referring to the meal consumed early in the morning by Muslims before fasting, sawm, in daylight hours during the Islamic month of Ramadan. The meal is eaten before fajr, or dawn...

.

zahorí

zaida

zaino

zala

zalamelé

zalea/zalear

zalema/zalama

zalmedina: Same meaning and origin as zabalmedina.

zalona

zamacuco

zambra: Traditional festivity of the Moriscos in Spain which is maintained by the Gypsy community of Sacromonte, Granada. From Andalusi Arabic Zamra, originally from classical Arabic Zamr.

zanahoria: carrot, presumably from Andalusi Arabic. The only Arabic dialect with a cognate
Cognate
In linguistics, cognates are words that have a common etymological origin. This learned term derives from the Latin cognatus . Cognates within the same language are called doublets. Strictly speaking, loanwords from another language are usually not meant by the term, e.g...

form is Libyan
Libyan Arabic
Libyan Arabic is a collective term for the closely related varieties of Arabic spoken in Libya. It can be divided into two major dialect areas; the eastern centred in Benghazi and Bayda, and the western centred in Tripoli and Misrata...

Tunisian
Tunisian Arabic
Tunisian Arabic is a Maghrebi dialect of the Arabic language, spoken by some 11 million people. It is usually known by its own speakers as Derja, which means dialect, to distinguish it from Standard Arabic, or as Tunsi, which means Tunisian...

with sfinaria, meaning "The Sword of Fire" (السيف الناري).

zaque: Leather recipient for wine or extracting water from a well. Drunken person. From Andalusi Arabic zaqq. Originally from classical Arabic ziqq.

zaquizamí

zaragüelles

zaranda/zarandillo/zarandaja

zarandear: To shake vigorously / push around / toss about. From Zaranda.

zaratán: Breast cancer
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...

. From the Arabic saratan: crab.

zarazán:

zarco

zarracatín

zarzahán

zatara

zéjel

zoco (or azogue): market. From Arabic souk of the same meaning.

zofra

zorzal: Thrush, intelligent person. From Andalusi Arabic Zurzal, originally from classical Arabic zurzur.

zubia: Place where a large amount of water flows. From Arabic Zubya.

zulaque

zulla

zumaque: sumac. From Arabic simaq of the same meaning.

zumo: fruit juice. From Arabic zum.

zuna: Sunnah, from Arabic Sunnah

zurriaga or zurriago: Refers to a type of whip and to a lark. From Andalusi Arabic surriyaqa

Words with a coincidental similarity to Arabic

el. The Spanish definite articles
Article (grammar)
An article is a word that combines with a noun to indicate the type of reference being made by the noun. Articles specify the grammatical definiteness of the noun, in some languages extending to volume or numerical scope. The articles in the English language are the and a/an, and some...

el / la / lo / los / las, like most definite articles in the Romance languages
Romance languages
The Romance languages are a branch of the Indo-European language family, more precisely of the Italic languages subfamily, comprising all the languages that descend from Vulgar Latin, the language of ancient Rome...

, derive from the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...

demonstratives ille / illa / illud. The similarity to the Arabic article al is a mere coincidence.

usted. The formal second-person pronoun usted is derived from a shortening of the old form of address Vuestra merced, as seen in dialectal Spanish vosted, Catalan
Catalan language
Catalan is a Romance language, the national and only official language of Andorra and a co-official language in the Spanish autonomous communities of Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Valencian Community, where it is known as Valencian , as well as in the city of Alghero, on the Italian island...

vostè, etc. The possibility of a link with the Arabic word ustādh ('professor'/'doctor') seems very remote.

Other influences

The suffix í. Arabic has a very common type of adjective, known as the nisba or relationship adjective, which is formed by adding the suffix -ī (masc.) or ية -iyya (fem.) to a noun. This has given Spanish the suffix -í (both masc. and fem.), creating adjectives from nouns which indicate relationship or belonging. Examples are Marbellí, Ceutí, Maghrebí, Zaragocí, Andalusí or Alfonsí.

Expressions. A number of expressions such as "¡Ole!" (sometimes spelled "olé" ), possibly from wa'llah, or ojalá, from law sha'a Allah, have been borrowed directly from Arabic. Furthermore, many expressions in Spanish might have been calque
Calque
In linguistics, a calque or loan translation is a word or phrase borrowed from another language by literal, word-for-word or root-for-root translation.-Calque:...

d from their Arabic equivalent. Examples would be si Dios quiere, que Dios guarde or bendito sea Dios.

Toponyms (place names) in Iberia of Arabic origin

There are hundreds if not thousands of place names derived from Arabic in the Iberian peninsula including provinces and regions, cities, towns, villages and even neighborhoods and streets. They also include geographical features such as mountains, mountain ranges, valleys and rivers. Toponyms derived from Arabic are common in all of Spain (including much of the North of the country) except for those regions which never came under Muslim rule or where it was particularly short-lived. These regions include Galicia and the Northern coast (Asturias

Asturias

The Principality of Asturias is an autonomous community of the Kingdom of Spain, coextensive with the former Kingdom of Asturias in the Middle Ages...

, Cantabria

Cantabria

Cantabria is a Spanish historical region and autonomous community with Santander as its capital city. It is bordered on the east by the Basque Autonomous Community , on the south by Castile and León , on the west by the Principality of Asturias, and on the north by the Cantabrian Sea.Cantabria...

and the Basque country

Basque Country (historical territory)

The Basque Country is the name given to the home of the Basque people in the western Pyrenees that spans the border between France and Spain on the Atlantic coast....

) as well as northern Catalonia

Catalonia

Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...

and Aragon

Aragon

Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...

. Regions where place names of Arabic origin are particularly common are the Eastern Coast (Valencia and Murcia

Murcia

-History:It is widely believed that Murcia's name is derived from the Latin words of Myrtea or Murtea, meaning land of Myrtle , although it may also be a derivation of the word Murtia, which would mean Murtius Village...

) and the region of Andalusia

Andalusia

Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Huelva, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jaén, Granada and...

. In Portugal

Portugal

Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...

, the frequency of Arabic toponyms increases as one travels south in the country.

Those toponyms which maintained their pre-Islamic name during the Muslim period were generally Arabized, and the mark of either the old Arabic pronunciation

Arabic phonology

While many languages have numerous dialects that differ in pronunciation, the Arabic language is more properly described as a continuum of varieties. This article deals primarily with Modern Standard Arabic, which is the standard variety shared by educated speakers throughout Arabic-speaking regions...

or the popular pronunciation from which it derived is noticeable in their modern names: e.g. Hispalis - Ishbiliya - Sevilla.

Major towns, cities and regions

Albarracín
Albarracín
Albarracín is Spanish town, in the province of Teruel, part of the autonomous community of Aragon. According to the 2007 census , the municipality had a population of 1075 inhabitants...

City of Aragón. Derived from Al Banū Razin, name of the Berber governor of the town.

Alcalá de Henares
Alcalá de Henares
Alcalá de Henares , meaning Citadel on the river Henares, is a Spanish city, whose historical centre is one of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites, and one of the first bishoprics founded in Spain...

City in the Community of Madrid. Derived from al-qal'a (القلعة), meaning citadel or fortress.

Axarquía
Axarquía
Axarquía is a comarca of Andalusia, southern Spain. It is the wedge-shaped area east of Málaga. Its name is possibly traced back to Arabic الشرقية ....

Eastern region of Málaga
Málaga
Málaga is a city and a municipality in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, Spain. With a population of 568,507 in 2010, it is the second most populous city of Andalusia and the sixth largest in Spain. This is the southernmost large city in Europe...

province, From Arabic Ash-sharquía(الشرقية): The eastern/oriental (region).

Andalucía
Andalusia
Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Huelva, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jaén, Granada and...

Most populated and 2nd largest autonomous community
Autonomous communities of Spain
An autonomous community In other languages of Spain:*Catalan/Valencian .*Galician .*Basque . The second article of the constitution recognizes the rights of "nationalities and regions" to self-government and declares the "indissoluble unity of the Spanish nation".Political power in Spain is...

in Spain. Derived from الأندلس, Al Andalus, the Arabic name for Muslim Iberia.

Albacete
Albacete
Albacete is a city and municipality in southeastern Spain, 258 km southeast of Madrid, the capital of the province of Albacete in the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha. The municipality had a population of c. 169,700 in 2009....

city and province of Castilla-La Mancha. Derived from Arabic Al Basit (البسيط) (the plain).

Algarve Region of southern Portugal. From Arabic al gharb(الغرب), the west.

Algeciras
Algeciras
Algeciras is a port city in the south of Spain, and is the largest city on the Bay of Gibraltar . Port of Algeciras is one of the largest ports in Europe and in the world in three categories: container,...

City and port in Cadiz province. Derived from Al Jazeera Al Khadra (الجزيرة الخضراء) meaning the green island.

Almería
Almería
Almería is a city in Andalusia, Spain, on the Mediterranean Sea. It is the capital of the province of the same name.-Toponym:Tradition says that the name Almería stems from the Arabic المرية Al-Mariyya: "The Mirror", comparing it to "The Mirror of the Sea"...

City and province of Andalucía. From Al Meraya, the watchtower.

Alpujarras
Alpujarras
thumb|250px|A typical Alpujarran village, [[Busquístar]].La Alpujarra is a landlocked historical region in Southern Spain, which stretches south from the Sierra Nevada mountains near Granada in the autonomous community of Andalusia. The western part of the region lies in the province of Granada...

(originally Alpuxarras) Region extending South of Granada into Almería. From Arabic Al-Busherat: The grasslands.

Calatayud
Calatayud
Calatayud is a city and municipality in the province of Zaragoza in Aragón, Spain lying on the river Jalón, in the midst of the Sistema Ibérico mountain range. It is the second-largest city in the province after the capital, Zaragoza, and the largest town in Aragón other than the three provincial...

City of Aragón. Derived from Qal'at Ayyūb (Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...

قلعة أيوب) meaning "(Ayyūb) Job´s Fortress".

Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...

British overseas territory and name given to surrounding area in Southern Spain (Campo de Gibraltar). From Arabic Jbel Tariq, "Mountain of Tariq", or Gibr Tariq meaning "Rock of Tariq".

Guadalajara
Guadalajara (province)
Guadalajara is a province of central/north-central Spain, in the northern part of the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha. It is bordered by the provinces of Cuenca, Madrid, Segovia, Soria, Zaragoza, and Teruel...

City and province of Castilla la Mancha. From (Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...

وادي الحجارة), River or canyon of Stones.

Jaén
Jaén, Spain
Jaén is a city in south-central Spain, the name is derived from the Arabic word Jayyan, . It is the capital of the province of Jaén. It is located in the autonomous community of Andalusia....

City and province of Andalusia From Arabic Jayyan, crossroads of caravans.

Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...

Capital of Spain. Derived from original Arabic name: al-MagrīT, المجريط: "Source of water", which pertains to Rio Manzanares that flows through it.

Medina Sidonia
Medina-Sidonia
Medina-Sidonia is a city and municipality in the province of Cádiz in the autonomous community of Andalusia, southern Spain. It is considered by some to be the oldest city in Europe, used as a military defense location due to its elevated location. Locals are known as Asidonenses...

: Town and municipality in Cadiz
Cádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....

province, from madina, city.

Tarifa
Tarifa
Tarifa is a small town in the province of Cádiz, Andalusia, on the southernmost coast of Spain. The town is located on the Costa de la Luz and across the Straits of Gibraltar facing Morocco. The municipality includes Punta de Tarifa, the southernmost point in continental Europe. There are five...

town in Cadiz province, Andalusia. Originally Jazeera Tarif (جزيرة طريف): the island of Tarif. Derived form the first name of the Berber conqueror Tarif ibn Malik.

La Sagra
La Sagra
La Sagra is a Spanish comarca delineated by natural formations but not legally recognized. The comarca includes localities belonging to both the province of Madrid and the province of Toledo...

, an arid region between Toledo and Madrid. Name derived from arabic Sahra صحراء "desert".

Valladolid
Valladolid
Valladolid is a historic city and municipality in north-central Spain, situated at the confluence of the Pisuerga and Esgueva rivers, and located within three wine-making regions: Ribera del Duero, Rueda and Cigales...

, a town and province of Castilla y Leon region in northern Spain. Name possibly derived from Balad al-Walid in Arabic, meaning 'Land of Walid'.

Ubeda
Úbeda
Úbeda is a town in the province of Jaén in Spain's autonomous community of Andalusia, with some 35,600 inhabitants. Both this city and the neighboring city of Baeza benefited from extensive patronage in the early 16th century resulting in the construction of a series of Renaissance style palaces...

, a town in Jaen province, Andalusia. From the Arabic Ubadat el Arab.

Geographical features

Guadiana
Guadiana
The Guadiana , or Odiana, is an international river located on the Portuguese–Spanish border, separating Extremadura and Andalucia from Alentejo and Algarve...

river. Meaning "River Anae" (from the original Latin name Fluminus Anae, "River of Ducks").

Guadalquivir
Guadalquivir
The Guadalquivir is the fifth longest river in the Iberian peninsula and the second longest river to be its whole length in Spain. The Guadalquivir is 657 kilometers long and drains an area of about 58,000 square kilometers...

river. Derived from Arabic: al-wādĩ al-kabir الوادي الكبير, "the big river".

Javalambre. Mountain in southern Aragon, Jabal 'Amr, meaning "Mountain of 'Amr".

Mulhacén
Mulhacén
Mulhacén is the highest mountain in continental Spain and in the Iberian Peninsula. It is part of the Sierra Nevada range in the Cordillera Penibética...

. Highest mountain in peninsular Spain. Named after 15th century Arabian Sultan of Granada Ali Muley Hacén Abu al-Hasan.

Pico Almanzor
Pico Almanzor
Pico Almanzor is the highest mountain in central Spain. Situated in the Sierra de Gredos in the province of Ávila, Almanzor is high. It is made of granite. The mountain is also known as Pico de Almanzor and Moro Almanzor.-History:...

. Mountain in the Gredos Mountains
Sierra de Gredos
The Sierra de Gredos is a mountain range in the centre of the Iberian Peninsula, located between Ávila, Cáceres, Madrid and Toledo. It has been declared a regional park. Its highest point is Pico Almanzor, at 2,592 metres....

of Central Spain. Named after "Almanzor" Al-Mansur Ibn Abi Aamir
Al-Mansur Ibn Abi Aamir
Abu Aamir Muhammad Ibn Abdullah Ibn Abi Aamir, Al-Hajib Al-Mansur , better known as Almanzor, was the de facto ruler of Muslim Al-Andalus in the late 10th to early 11th centuries. His rule marked the peak of power for Moorish Iberia.-Origins:He was born Muhammad Ibn Abi Aamir, into a noble Arab...

, defacto ruler of Al Andalus in late 10th - early 11th centuries.

Cape Trafalgar
Cape Trafalgar
Cape Trafalgar is a headland in the Province of Cádiz in the south-west of Spain. It lies on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the Strait of Gibraltar...

. From Andalusi Arabic Taraf-al-ghar.

Given names and surnames

Given names

Almudena

Almudena

Almudena can be referred to:*Catedral de la Almudena, Madrid´s Catholic Cathedral*Cementerio de la Almudena the biggest cemetery of Madrid, in Neo-Mudéjar style....

(from the Virgin of Almudena

Virgin of Almudena

The Virgin of Almudena is a medieval icon of the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus Christ. The image is the advocation of the Virgin that serves as a patroness of Madrid, Spain....

, patroness of Madrid, Spain) and Fátima

Fatima (name)

Fatima is an Arabic female given name, commonly used among Muslims and is especially revered among Shias.The town of Fátima in Portugal was named after a Moorish princess...

(derived from Our Lady of Fátima

Our Lady of Fatima

Our Lady of Fátima is a famous title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary as she appeared in apparitions reported by three shepherd children at Fátima in Portugal. These occurred on the 13th day of six consecutive months in 1917, starting on May 13...

) are very common Spanish names rooted in the country´s Roman Catholic tradition, but both of which share Arabic etymologies originating in place names of religious significance. Guadalupe, a name present throughout the Spanish-speaking world, but particularly in Mexico, also shares this feature.

A number of given names of Arabic origin have been popular throughout the Spanish-speaking world for some time, such as Omar

Omar

Omar can refer to:-Name:* Omar , including a list of people with the given name or surname Omar, Omer or Umar as well-Places:* Omar, Konar, a village in Afghanistan...

or Soraya

Soraya

Soraya is a female name of Persian origin meaning "rich" and/or "princess" . It is also a reference to the Pleiades. It may refer to:...

(probably popularized after the late Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiari). More recently, some other names have become popular, particularly in the Caribbean area, such as Zahira.

Surnames

Surnames of indirect Arabic origin, such as Medina, Almunia, Guadarrama or Alcaide are very common, often referring to toponyms or professions, but they don't have Arabic origin properly speaking. No Arabic surnames remain as a result of Muslim descendence, except for recent immigrants. The reason for it is that, throughout Spanish history, it was common practice for ethnic and religious minorities to change their surnames to escape persecution by the Catholic Church. Furthermore, Spanish Muslims were compelled to adopt Christian surnames by a series of royal decrees in the 16th century. 17th century Morisco leader Muhammad Ibn Ummaya

Aben Humeya

Aben Humeya was a Spanish leader who commanded the Morisco Revolt against Philip II of Spain in the Alpujarras region, near Granada.-Early life:...

, for example, was born to the Christian name Fernando de Córdoba y Valor.

Suggestions for further research

In the English language, search the online catalogs of United States university libraries using the Library of Congress (LC) subject heading, "Spanish language foreign elements".

When searching Spanish language Web sites, use the subject term, "arabismos".

Selected reference works and other academic literature

These works have not necessarily been consulted in the preparation of this article.

Abu-Haidar, J. A. 1985. Review of Felipe Maíllo Salgado, Los arabismos del castellano en la baja edad media (consideraciones históricas y filológicas). Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, 48(2): 353-354. University of London. Stable URL: http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0041-977X%281985%2948%3A2%3C353%3ALADCEL%3E2.0.CO%3B2-X

Cabo Pan, José Luis. El legado del arabe. Mosaico 8:7-10. Revista para la Promoción y Apoyo a la Enseñanza del Español. Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia del Reino de España, Consejería de Educación y Ciencia en Bélgica, Países Bajos y Luxemburgo. [Article with convenient, short word lists, grouped by theme. In PDF. Refer to Mosaicos portal page. ]

Corominas, Joan. 1980-1991. Diccionario crítico etimológico castellano e hispánico. Madrid: Gredos. The first edition, with the title Diccionario crítico etimológico de la lengua castellana (1954–1957) includes an appendix that groups words according to language of origin.

Corriente, Federico. 2003. Diccionario de arabismos y voces afines en iberorromance. (2nd expanded ed.; 1st ed. 1999) Madrid: Gredos. 607 p.

Real Academia Española (Royal Spanish Academy). Diccionario de la lengua española (DRAE), online.

Maíllo Salgado, Felipe. 1991/1998. Los arabismos del castellano en la Baja Edad Media : consideraciones históricas y filológicas. Salamanca: Universidad de Salamanca. 554 p. [2nd ed., corrected and enlarged; 1st ed. 1983]

Ibid. 1996. Vocabulario de historia árabe e islámica. Madrid: Akal. 330 p.

Marcos Marín, Francisco
Francisco A. Marcos-Marín
Francisco A. Marcos-Marín is a linguist, a professor of Hispanic Linguistics at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Previously he was professore ordinario per chiara fama in the Università di Roma 'La Sapienza', catedrático de Lingüística General at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and...

1998 Romance andalusí y mozárabe: dos términos no sinónimos. Estudios de Lingüística y Filología Españolas. Homenaje a Germán Colón. Madrid: Gredos, 335-341.

Ibid. 1998 Toledo: su nombre árabe y sus consecuencias lingüísticas hispánicas. Revista del Instituto Egipcio de Estudios Islámicos en Madrid, XXX, 1998, 93-108.

Sola-Solé, Josep María. 1983. Sobre árabes, judíos y marranos y su impacto en la lengua y literatura españolas. Barcelona: Puvill. 279 p.

Spaulding, Robert K. 1942/1971. How Spanish Grew. Berkeley: University of California Press. Chapter 5: "Arabic Spain", pp. 53–62.

Toro Lillo, Elena. La invasión árabe. Los árabes y el elemento árabe en español. In the Cervantes Virtual Library. Includes a brief list of historical sound changes. Useful bibliography.

Selected resource pages of universities and research institutes

External links

La invasión árabe. Los árabes y el elemento árabe en español, by Elena Toro Lillo; Biblioteca Virtual Miguel de Cervantes
Arabic Influences in Various Languages

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