Arabic Influence On The Spanish Language

Introduction and Methodology

This is a comprehensive list of Spanish words originating ''directly'' from Classical and Andalusi Arabic, listed in alphabetical order. This list includes the Spanish meaning of the word aswell as the Arabic Etymology . The Qalam Arabic Transliteration standard is used. Due to the heavy influence of Arabic on Spanish, this list is relatively restrictive:

Only words which have passed directly from Arabic are included. Spanish words of Arabic origin which entered the Spanish language through other, non-Iberian, European languages (such as ''Beduino'', ''Sofá'' or ''sorbete'') are not included.

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) 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. An exception to this rule may be made when the derived word is much more commonly used than the root word or when it is not evident 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 Arabic.

Words of Berber or Hebrew origin (or other Afroasiatic languages) are not included.

The etymology and meaning 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 past editions of this dictionary.

A

#abacero: Owner of an '''abacería''', small food shop. From Andalusi Arabic ''SaHb azzád'': "Owner of the supplies".
#abadí: Descendant/lineage of ''Mohammed ben Abad'', founder of the Taifa Kingdom of Seville in the 11th century AD. From Andalusi Arabic ''abbady''.
#abalorio:1)Cheap jewelery 2)Jewelery beads. From Andalusi Arabic ''al ballúri'': "Made of glass".
#abarraz:
#abasí
#abelmosco
#abencerraje
#abenuz
#abismal
#acafelar
#acebibe
#acebuche
#aceche
#aceifa
#aceite
#aceituna
#aceituní
#acelga
#acémila
#acemite
#acenefa
#aceña
#acequia
#acerola
#acetre
#aciar
#acíbar
#acicalar
#acicate
#acidaque
#acimut
#ación
#acirate
#acitara
#achacar
#achaque
#adafina
#adalid
#adaraja
#adarga
#adárgama
#adarme
#adarvar
#adarbe
#adaza
#adecuja
#adefera
#adehala
#adelfa
#adema/ademán
#ademe
#adermar
#aderra
#adiafa
#adivas
#adive
#adobe (two meanings: from ''at-tuba'' "the brick" (itself originally from Coptic ''tôbe'') and ''ad-dabba'')
#adoquín
#ador
#adra
#aduana
#aduar
#adúcar
#adufa
#adufe
#adul
#adula
#adunia
#adutaque
#afán/afanar
#afice
#aguajaque
#agüela
#ajabeba
#ajaquefa
#ajaraca
#ajarafe
#ajebe
#ajedrea
#ajedrez
#ajenuz
#ajimez
#ajomate
#ajonjolí
#ajorca
#ajorrar
#ajuagas
#ajuar
#Alá
#alacena
#alacet
#alacrán
#aladar
#aladroque
#alafa
#alafia
#alahílca
#alajor
#alajú
#alamar
#alambor (two meanings from ''al'ubur'' and from ''al-hambad'')
#alamín
#alamud
#alaqueca
#alárabe
#alarde/alardear
#alarido
#alarife
#alarije
#alaroz
#alaroza
#alatar
#alatrón
#alazán
#alazor
#albacara (two meanings from ''al-baqqara'' and from ''al-bakra'')
#albacea
#albacora (two meanings, a fish and a fig, both from ''al-bakura'')
#albadena
#albahaca
#albahío
#albaida
#albanar
#albanega
#albaní
#albañal
#albañil
#albaquia
#albarán
#albarazo
#albarda
#albardán
#albardín
#albaricoque
#albarrada
#albarrán
#albarrana
#albatoza
#albayalde
#albéitar
#albenda
#albengala
#alberca
#albérchigo
#albihar
#albitana
#alboaire
#albogue
#alboheza
#albohol
#albollón
#albóndiga
#albórbola
#alborga
#albornía
#albornoz
#alboronía
#alboroque
#alborozo
#albotín
#albricias
#albudeca
#albufera
#albur
#alcabala
#alcabor
#alcabtea
#alcacel
#alcachofa
#alcaduz
#alcafar
#alcahaz
#alcahuete
#alcaicería
#alcaide
#alcalde
#álcali
#alcaller
#alcamiz
#alcamonías
#alcana
#alcaná
#alcancía
#alcándara
#alcandía
#alcandora
#alcanería
#alcanfor
#alcántara/alcantarilla
#alcaparra
#alcaraván
#alcaravea
#alcarceña
#alcarraza
#alcarria
#alcatanes
#alcatifa
#alcatraz
#alcaucil
#alcavela
#alcazaba
#alcázar
#alcazuz (or orozuz)
#alcoba
#alcohela
#alcohol
#alcoholar
#alcolla
#alcor
#alcora
#alcorcí
#alcorque
#alcorza
#alcotán
#alcotana
#alcrebite
#alcuacil
#alcubilla
#alcuña
#alcuza
#alcuzcuz
#alchub
#aldaba
#aldea/aldeano
#aldiza
#alefriz
#aleja
#alejija
#alema
#alerce
#aletría
#aleve/alevoso/alevosía
#aleya
#alfaba
#alfábega
#alfadía
#alfaguara
#alfahar/alfaharería
#alfaida
#alfajeme
#alfalfa
#alfaneque (two meanings, a type of bird, from Arabic ''al-fanak'' and a tent from Berber ''afarag'')
#alfanje
#alfaque
#alfaqueque
#alfaquí
#alfaquín
#alfaraz
#alfarda (two meanings from ''al-farda'' and from ''al-fardda'')
#alfardón
#alfareme
#alfarje
#alfarrazar
#alfaya
#alfayate
#alfazaque
#alféizar
#alfeñique
#alferecía
#alferez
#alferraz
#alferza
#alficoz
#alfil (two meaning from ''al-fil'' and ''al-fa'l'')
#alfilel/alfiler
#alfinge
#alfitete
#alfiz
#alfolí
#alfombra (two meanings from ''al-jumra'' and ''al-humra'')
#alfóndega
#alforfón
#alforja
#alforre
#alforrocho
#alforza
#alfóstigo
#alfoz
#algaba
#algaida
#algalia
#algar
#algara
#algarabía
#algarivo
#algarrada
#algarroba
#algavaro
#algazafán
#algazara
#algazul
#álgebra (''al-jabr'' from the name of the book of Al-Khwarizmi ''Hisab Al-jabr W’al-muqabala'' "''The Calculus of Subtraction and Equality''")
#algecireño
#algodón
#algorfa
#algorza
#alguacil
#alguaquida
#alguaza
#alhadida
#alhaite
#alhaja
#alhamar
#alhamel
#alhamí
#alhandal
#alhanía
#alhaquín
#alharaca
#alhavara
#alhelí
#alheña
#alholva
#alhorí
#alhorre (two meanings from ''al-khur'' and ''al-hurr'')
#alhorría (or ahorría)
#alhucema
#alhuceña
#alhurreca
#aliacán
#aliara
#alicante
#alicatar
#alicate
#alidada
#alifa
#alifafe (two meanings from ''an-nafakh'' and ''al-lifah'')
#alifara
#alijar
#alimara
#alioj
#alizace
#alizar
#aljaba
#aljabibe
#aljama
#aljamía/aljamiado
#aljaraz
#aljarfa
#aljébana
#aljerife
#aljibe
#aljófar/aljofarar
#aljofifa
#aljor (or ''aljez'')
#aljuba
#aljuma
#almacén
#almacería
#almáciga
#almadén
#almádena
#almadía
#almadraba
#almadraque
#almagazén
#almagra
#almahala
#almaizar
#almaja
#almajaneque
#almajar
#almajara
#almalafa
#almanaque (''al-manaakh'', "the climate", 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
#almizate
#almizcle/almizque
#almocadén
#almocafre
#almocárabe
#almoceda
#almocrebe
#almocrí
#almodón
#almófar
#almofariz
#almofía
#almofrej/almofrez
#almogama
#almogávar
#almohada
#almohade
#almohaza
#almojábana
#almojarife
#almojaya
#almona
#almoneda
#almoraduj/almoradux
#almorávide
#almorí
#almotacén
#almotalafe
#almotazaf/almotazán
#almozala/almozalla
#almud
#almuédano
#aloque
#aloquín
#alpargata
#alquequenje
#alquería
#alquermes
#alquerque (Two meanings from ''al-qirq'' and ''al-qariq'')
#alquez
#alquezar
#alquibla
#alquicel
#alquiler
#alquimia
#alquinal
#alquitira
#alquitrán
#alrota
#altabaca
#altamía
#altramuz
#alubia
#aludel
#aluquete/luquete
#alloza
#amán
#ámbar
#ámel
#amín
#amirí
#anacalo
#anacora
#anafaga
#anafalla/anafaya
#anafe
#anaquel
#andorra
#andrajo
#anea
#anejir
#anfión
#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
#áscar/áscari
#asequi
#asesino
#atabaca
#atabal
#atabe
#atacar
#atacir
#atafarra
#atafea
#atahona
#atahorma
#ataifor
#ataire
#atalaya
#atalvina
#atambor
#atanor
#atanquía
#ataracea
#atarazana
#atarfe
#atarjea
#atarraga
#atarraya
#ataúd
#ataujía
#ataurique
#atifle
#atijara
#atíncar
#atoba
#atocha
#atracae
#atoque
#atríaca/atriaca
#atún
#atutía
#auge
#aulaga
#avería
#ayatolá
#azabache
#azabara
#azacán
#azacaya
#azache
#azafate/azafata
#azafrán
#azalá
#azamboa
#azándar
#azaque
#azaquefa
#azar
#azarbe
#azarcón
#azarja
#azarnefe
#azarote
#azófar
#azofra/azofrar
#azogue (two meanings: from ''az-za'uq'' and from ''as-suq'')
#azolvar
#azor
#azorafa
#azote
#azotea
#azoya
#azúcar
#azucena
#azud
#azufaifa/azufaifo
#azul
#azulaque (or zulaque)
#azulejo
#azúmbar
#azumbre

B

#babismo
#babucha
#badal
#badán
#badana
#badea
#badén
#badial
#bagarino
#baharí
#baída
#bajá
#baladí
#balaj/balaje
#balate
#balda (and baldío)
#baldar
#balde
#baño
#baraka
#barbacana
#barcino
#bardaje
#barragán
#barrio
#bata (either from Arabic ''batt'' of French ouate)
#batán
#batea
#baurac
#bayal
#baza (either Arabic or Italian origin)
#bazar
#belez
#bellota
#ben
#benimerín
#benjui
#berberí
#berberís
#bereber
#berenjena/berenjenal
#bezaar/bezoar
#bocací
#bodoque/bodocal
#bófeta
#bórax
#borní
#boronía
#botor
#bulbul
#burche
#buzaque

C

#cabila
#cachera
#cadí
#cadira
#café
#cáfila
#cafiz (or cahiz)
#cafre
#caftán
#cáid (same origin as alcaide)
#caimacán
#cala
#calafate/calafatear
#calahorra
#calí (same root as álcali)
#cálibo/calibre
#cambuj
#camocán
#canana
#cáncana/cancanilla
#cáncano
#cande (in azúcar cande)
#canfor
#caraba
#cárabe
#cárabo (two meanings: an owl from ''qaraab'' and a dog from ''kalb'')
#caracoa
#caramida
#caramuzal
#caravana
#caravasar
#carcajada/carcajear
#carcax
#carme/carmen
#carmesí
#carmín
#carraca
#carrafa
#cártama/cártamo
#catán
#catifa
#cazurro
#cebtí
#ceca
#cedoaria
#cegatero
#cegrí
#ceje
#celemí/celemín/celeminero
#cenacho
#cendolilla
#cenefa
#cení
#cenia
#cenit
#cequí
#cerbatana
#cero
#cetís
#ceutí
#chafariz
#chafarote
#chaleco
#charrán
#chifla
#chiísmo
#chilaba (from Moroccan Arabic)
#chirivía
#chisme
#chivo
#chupa
#cianí
#cibica
#cica
#cicalar
#cicatear
#cicatero (cicatero has a different root to cicatear)
#ciclán
#ciclar
#ciclatón
#cifaque
#cifra/cifrar
#címbara
#cimboga
#cimitarra
#circón
#citara
#civeta/civeto
#coba/cobista
#cofa
#coima
#coime
#colcótar
#Corán
#corbacho
#cotonía
#cubeba
#cúrcuma
#curdo
#cuscuta
#cuscús (or alcuzcuz/cuzcuz)

D

#dado
#daga
#dahír
#daifa
#dante
#darga (or adarga)
#dársena
#daza
#derviche
#descafilar
#destartalado
#dey
#dínar
#dirham
#diván
#droga
#druso
#dula/dular

E

#edrisí
#ejarbe
#elche
#elemí
#embelecar/embeleco
#emir (or amir)
#encaramar
#enchufar
#engarzar
#enjalma
#enjarje
#enjeco
#escabeche
#escafilar (see descafilar)
#escaque/escaquear
#exarico

F

#faca
#falagar
#falca
#falleba
#faltriquera
#falúa/faluca
#fanega/hanega
#fanfarrón
#faranga (or haragán)
#farda
#fardacho
#farfán
#farnaca
#farota
#farruco
#felús
#fetua
#fez
#fideo
#filelí
#foceifiza
#fondolí
#fondac/fonda
#foz
#fulano
#fustal
#fustete

G

#gabán
#gabela
#gacel/gacela
#gafetí
#galacho
#galanga
#galbana
#gálibo
#galima
#gandula/gandula
#garama
#garbino
#gardacho
#gárgol
#garrafa
#garrama
#garroba
#gilí
#gomer
#granadí
#grisgrís
#guadamací
#guájara
#guájete
#guala
#guarismo
#guifa
#guilla
#gumía
#gurapas

H,I

#habiz
#habús
#hachís
#hacino
#hadruba
#hafiz
#hálara
#hálara
#hamudí
#haragán
#harambel
#harbar
#harén
#harma
#harón
#Hasaní
#hasta
#hataca
#hazaña
#he (in "he aquí")
#hégira
#hobacho/hobacha
#holgazán
#holgar
#hoque
#horro/horra
#imam
#imela
#islam

J,K

#jabalí
#jabalón
#jabeca
#jabeque
#jabí
#jácara
#jácena
#jacerino
#jadraque
#jaez
#jaharí
#jaharral
#jaharrar
#jaima
#jaique
#jalma (or enjalma)
#jaloque
#jametería
#jámila
#japuta
#jaque
#jaqueca
#jáquima
#jara
#jarabe
#jaraíz
#jarcha
#jareta
#jaricar
#jarifo/jarifa
#jarquía
#jarra
#jatib
#jazarino/jazarina
#jazmín
#jebe
#jeliz
#jemesía
#jeque
#jerife
#jeta
#jifa
#jinete
#jirafa
#jirel
#jofaina
#jofor
#jorfe
#joroba
#jorro
#juba/aljuba/jubón
#jurdía
#kermes

L

#laca
#lapislázuli
#latón
#laúd
#lebeche
#lebení
#leila
#lelilí
#lima
#limón
#loco

M

#macabro
#macsura
#madraza
#magacén
#maglaca
#maharon/maharona
#maharrana/marrana/marrano
#maimón
#majareta
#majzén
#mameluco
#mamola
#mandeísmo
#mandil
#maquila
#marabú
#maravedí
#marcasita
#marchamo
#marfil
#marfuz/a
#margomar
#marjal
#marlota
#maroja
#maroma
#marras
#Marroquí
#masamuda
#matafalúa
#matarife
#matraca
#matula
#mauraca
#mazapán
#mazarí
#mazarrón
#mazmodina
#mazmorra
#mazorca
#Meca
#mechinal
#mejala
#mejunje
#mengano/mengana
#mequetrefe
#mercal
#metical
#mezquino
#mezquito
#mía
#mihrab
#miramamolín
#moaxaja
#mogataz
#mogate
#moharra
#moharracho
#mohatra
#mohedal
#mohino
#mojí
#momia
#mona
#monfí
#morabito
#moraga
#morapio
#mozárabe
#mudéjar
#muftí
#mujalata
#mulquía
#muslim/muslime

N,O,P,Q

#nabí
#nacar
#nácara
#nadir
#nádir
#nagüela
#naife
#naipe
#naranja
#narguile
#natrón
#nazarí
#nenúfar
#nesga
#noria
#nuca
#ojalá
#omeya
#oque
#orozuz
#ox
#quermes
#quilate/quirate
#quilma
#quina
#quintal

R

#rabadán
#rabal
#rabazuz
#rabel
#rábida
#rafal
#rafe
#ragua
#rahez
#ramadán
#rambla
#rauda
#rauta
#real
#rebato
#rebite
#recamar
#recua
#redoma
#rehala
#rehalí
#rehén
#rejalgar
#requive
#resma
#retama
#rincón
#robda
#robo (or arroba)
#romí/rumí
#ronzal
#roque

S

#Saharaui
#sajelar
#salema
#sandía
#sarraceno
#sebestén
#secácul
#serafín
#siroco
#sofí
#sófora
#soldán
#soltaní
#sufí
#sura

T

#tabal (or atabal)
#tabaque
#tabefe
#tabica
#tabique
#taca
#tafurea
#tagarino/tagarina
#tagarnina
#taha
#tahalí
#tahona
#Taifa
#tajea
#talco
#talega
#talvina
#támara
#tamarindo
#tambor
#tara
#taracea
#taraje
#tarasí
#tarbea
#tarea
#tareco
#tarida
#tarifa
#tarima
#tarquín
#tarraya
#taza
#tértil
#tíbar
#tochibí
#tomín
#toronja
#toronjil
#trafalmejas
#truchimán/na
#trujamán/na
#tuera
#tumbaga
#Tunecí
#turbit
#turquí (in Azul Turquí)
#tutía (or atutía)

V

#vacarí
#velmez
#vizir

Z

#zabalmedina
#zabarcera (same origin as abacero)
#zabazala
#zabazoque
#zábila
#zabra
#zacatín
#zafar
#zafarí
#zafariche
#zafio
#zafrán
#zaga
#zagal
#zagaya (or azagaya)
#zagua
#zaguán
#zagüía
#zaharrón
#zahén
#zahón
#zahora
#zahorí
#zaida
#zaino
#zala
#zalamelé
#zalea/zalear
#zalema/zalama
#zalmedina
#zalona
#zamacuco
#zambra
#zanahoria
#zaque
#zaquizamí
#zaragüelles
#zaranda/zarandillo
#zaratán
#zarco
#zarracatín
#zarzahán
#zatara
#zéjel
#zoco (or azogue)
#zofra
#zorzal
#zubia
#zulaque
#zulla
#zumaque
#zumo
#zuna
#zurriaga

PLACE NAMES IN SPAIN (AND PORTUGAL) OF ARABIC ORIGIN

Major towns and cities

Geographical features

	CATEGORIES ABOUT ARABIC INFLUENCE ON THE SPANISH LANGUAGE

	spanish etymology

	arabic

	spanish language

	arabic influence on the spanish language

	arabic words and phrases

	lists of spanish words of foreign origin

	arabic language

	l

	islam in spain

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Arabic Influence On The Spanish Language