List of English words of Persian origin

As fellow Indo-European languages, English and Persian have many words which share a common Proto-Indo-European origin, and many of these cognate words often have similar forms. However, this article will be concerned with loanwords, that is, words in English that derive from Persian, either directly, or more often, via one or more intermediary languages.

Many words of Persian origin have made their way into the English language through different, often circuitous, routes. Some of them, like "paradise" date to the cultural contacts between the Persians and Greeks in the Hellenistic culture of Antiquity, and through Greek and then Latin found their way to English. Or Mihrab from the time of Persian conflicts with Rome. Persian as the second important language of Islam has influenced many languages in the Muslim world, and its words have found their way beyond the Muslim world.

Persia remained largely impenetrable to English-speaking travellers, well into the 19th century. This may explain why not quite as many Persian words as one may imagine have made their way in English. Persia was protected from Europe by overland trade routes that passed through territory inhospitable to foreigners, while trade at Persian ports in the Persian Gulf was in the hands of locals. In contrast, intrepid English traders operated in Mediterranean seaports of the Levant from the 1570s, and some vocabulary describing features of Ottoman culture found their way into the English language. Thus many in the following list of English borrowings, though they were originally from Persian, arrived in English through Turkish mediaries. Many other words also arrived from British India where Persian was the lingua franca before the British take over. Compare List of English words of Etruscan origin for a similar situation.

Other words of Persian origin found their way into European languages— and eventually reached English at second-hand— through the Moorish-Christian cultural interface in the Iberian peninsula during the Middle Ages thus being transmitted through Arabic or, much later, through Hindi during the British Raj.

A

abbasi

Etymology: Persian 'abbas (arabic name) plus Pesian suffix i, literally, of Abbas, from Abbas I died 1628 shah of Persia

abkar

Etymology: Persian abkar, from ab water, liquid (from Old Persian pi-) + kar doer (from Middle Persian). a wine seller : DISTILLER; also : one whose trade is subject to abkari tax

abkari

Etymology: "abkari." manufacture or sale of intoxicating liquors or drugs

absinthe

Etymology: Perhaps from Persian aspand. alcoholic liqueur distilled from wine mixed with wormwood.

achaemenid

Etymology: Greekified of Old Persian Hakhaamanesh. The Old Persian Achaemenid empire from 559 B.C to 330 B.C.

achar

Etymology: Persian achar. a pickled article of food as prepared in India : a pickle or relish

afreet

Etymology: Arabic ifrit, probably from Persian afarida created being. a powerful evil jinni, demon, or monstrous giant in Arabic mythology.

Afghanistan

Afghan combined with Persian suffix stan. Literally meaning "Land of Afghan's" in Persian.

Ahriman

from Persian Ahriman. Zoroastrian conception of evil.

Ahu

Etymology: Persian ahu, from Middle Persian ahuk. the common gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa) of central Asia

ahung

Etymology: Chinese a-hong from Persian akhun. theologian, preacher.

Ahura Mazda

from Old. Pers Auramazdâ. Zoroastrian conception of God literally meaning wise lord. Old Persian Inscriptions http://www.avesta.org/op/op.htm

akhundzada

Etymology: Hindi akhundzada, from Persian, from akhund teacher + zada son. In India the son of a head officer -- used as a title

algorithm

from the name of the Persian scientist Khwarazmi.

alkenkengi

from Arabic al-kakanj the ground-cherry originally from Persian kakunaj.

amani

Etymology: Hindi & Persian aman, from Arabic amanah security. The aman+i(where the suffix i is Persian).

Angra Mainyu

older version of Ahriman.

Angaria

Etymology: Late Latin, from Greek angareia, from angaros royal (Persian) courier. In Roman and civil law : a compulsory service exacted by the government, a lord, or the church

Angel

Etymology: Middle English angel, from Old French angele, from Late Latin angelus, from Greek angelos (translation of Hebrew mal'kh), literally, messenger, probably of Iranian origin; akin to the source of Greek angaros imperial Persian courier; perhaps akin to Sanskrit angiras one of a group of luminous divine beings. a supernatural spirit especially in Persian, Jewish, Christian, and Islamic theologies that is commonly depicted as being winged and serving as God's messenger and divine intermediary and as special guardian of an individual or nation.

Apadana

Etymology: Old Persian apadana palace, from apa- away + dana container. the great hall in ancient Persian palaces.

Armenia

etymology not necessarily Persian although first mentioned in the Old Persian inscription of the Achaemenids as Armina. Arman.

arsenic

from zarnig.

Asmodeus evil spirit, prince of demons, from L. Asmodaeus, from Gk. Asmodaios, from Talmudic Heb. Ashmeday, from Avestan (Old-Iranian) Aesh-ma-dæva, lit. "Aeshma the deceitful."

Arya

from Ariya.

Aryan

from Old Persian Ariya.

As

Etymology: Persian. a Persian card game similar to poker and by some thought to be its progenitor.

Asafetida

Etymology: Persian aza (mastic) + Latin foetida. tTe fetid gum resin of various Persian and East Indian plants of the genus Ferula occurring in the form of tears and dark-colored masses, having a strong odor and taste, and formerly used in medicine as an antispasmodic

aubergine

from Persian بادنجان Bâdinjân itself maybe originally from Sanskrit.

Aumildar

Etymology: from Arabic 'amal work + Persian -dar (agent suffix). A revenue collector in India.

Avesta

see next entery.

Avestan

Etymology: Avesta, sacred books of the ancient Zoroastrian religion (from Middle Persian Avastik) + English -an. of or relating to the Avesta or to Avestan.

azadirachta

Etymology: New Latin, from Persian azad dirakht, literally, free or noble tree.

azedarach

Etymology: French azédarac, from Persian azad dirakht, literally, free or noble tree

Azha

from Persian Ashiyana (آشیانه)

azure (color)

from Medieval Latin azura, from Persian lājaward

B

babouche

from Persian papoosh (پاپوش), from pa "foot" + poosh "covering."

baksheesh

from Persian bakhshesh (بخشش), lit. "gift," from verb bakhshidan "to give."

ban (title)

"governor of Croatia," from Serbo-Croat. ban "lord, master, ruler," from Persian baan (بان) "prince, lord, chief, governor"

barbican

possibly from Persian (khāneh "house").

bazaar

from Persian بازار bāzār (="market"), from Middle-Persian bahâ-zâr ("The Place of Prices").

bezoar

from pād-zahr (پادزهر) antidote

borax

from burah

bulbul

from bulbul nightingale (=type of migratory songbird native to Kenya)

buzkashi

from Persian buz "goat" + kashi "dragging"

C

calabash

possibly from Persian kharabuz, Kharbuzeh (خربزه) melon.

carafe

from Arabic gharafa (قرافه), "to pour"; or from Persian qarabah, (قرابه) "a large flagon"

caravan

from kārawān =("to go")

caviar

from Fr. caviar, from It. or Turk., from Pers. khaviyar (خاویار), from khaya "egg".

cassock

possibly ultimately from Persian kazhagand (كژآكند) "padded coat," from kazh "raw silk" + agand "stuffed."

cheque

from Persian 'chek' (چك). Iranian invented cheque under Sassanid Empire. During the first century A.D., banks in Persia and other territories in the Persian empire under Sassanid Empire issued letters of credit known as 'chek'. They are considered the basis for the modern cheque.

check

check (n.) from O.Fr. eschequier "a check at chess," from eschec, from V.L. *scaccus, from Persian shah "king," the principal piece in a chess game (see shah). When the king is in check a player's choices are limited. Meaning widened from chess to general sense of "adverse event, sudden stoppage" and by c.1700 to "a token used to check against loss or theft" (surviving in hat check) and "a check against forgery or alteration," which gave the modern financial use of "bank check, money draft" (first recorded 1798), probably influenced by exchequeur. Check-up "careful examination" is 1921, American English, on notion of a checklist of things to be examined.

checkmate

from Middle French eschec mat, from Persian shâh mât (="the King cannot escape")

chess

from Russian Shach, from Persian shah ("the King"), an abbreviation of Shâh-mât (Checkmate).

cinnabar

probably from Persian zanjifrah

cummerbund

from Hindi kamarband (كمربند), from Persian, from kamar (="waist") + band (="band")

D

demitasse

from Fr., lit. "half-cup," from demi- + tasse, an O.Fr. borrowing from Arabic tassah, from Pers. tasht "cup, saucer".

dervish

from Darvish

divan

fom Persian dēvān (="place of assembly", "roster"), from Old Persian dipi (="writing, document") + vahanam (="house")

F

Farsi

the name for Persian in Arabic. Standard Arabic lacks the /p/ phoneme, as a result, the Arabs who invaded Persia slowly began to refer to the language and the people as "Farsi", rather than "Parsi".

Feringhee

from Persian 'Farangi': from the word Frankish: a person from Europe. The first encounter with Western Europe was during Charlemagne who was King of Franks. From that time the word Farangi means European, especially Western European. Also after the first Crusade this word appeared frequently in Persian and Arabic literature. (in Arabic as 'Faranji' because they could not pronounce /g/) . The Ottoman Turks pronounced it as Feringhee.

firman

from Persian فرمان farmân ("decree", "order").

G

galingale

from Persian خلنجان khalanjan, a plant.

gherkin

possibly ult. from Medieval Gk. angourion "a kind of cucumber," said to possibly be from Pers. angūr, "grape"

giaour

from Pers. gaur, variant of gabr "fire-worshipper"

H

Hindu

from Pers. Hindu "Indian"

I

India

from Persian Hind.

J

jackal

from Persian shaghāl, Any of several doglike mammals of the genus Canis of Africa and southern Asia that are mainly foragers feeding on plants, small animals, and occasionally carrion.

jasmine

from yasmin, the name of a climbing plant with fragrant flowers.

julep

from gulab (rose-water).

K

kabob

or kebab, possibly from Persian kabab, or from identical forms in Arabic and Urdu

kaftan

from Persian خفتان khaftân.

khaki

from khaki (="made from soil", "dusty" or "of the colour of soil"), from khak (= "soil")

kiosk

from kushk (="palace, portico, pavilion") or Middle Persian gōšak "corner"

koh-i-noor

from Pers. koh "mountain"."

L

lemon

possibly from Persian limoo, also possibly from Urdu, Arabic, and Turkish

lilac

from Pers. lilak, variant of nilak "bluish," from nil "indigo"

M

magic, magical, magician

from magus from Old Persian maguš "mighty one"

magus, magi

from magus, from Old Persian maguš "mighty one", Priest of Zoroastrianism

manticore

from O. Pers. word for "man eater," cf. martiya- "man" + root of khvar- "to eat."

Mithra

from the name of the Persian God Mithra.

Mithraeum

from Persian Mithra

Mithraism

from Persian Mithra

Mogul

from mughul (="Mongolian")

mullah

from Persian Molla

musk

ultimately from Middle Persian musk, from Sanskrit muska (="testicle") from diminutive of mus (="mouse")

Mussulman

from Persinan musulman (adj.), from Arabic Muslim (q.v.) + Persian adj. suffix -an.

N

naphtha

perhaps from Persian naft "naphtha"

O

orange

from Milanese narans, from Arabic nāranj, from Persian nārang, from Sanskrit nāraṅga, from some Dravidian language, possibly Tamil or Malayalam

P

Pagoda

via Portuguese pagode, from a corruption of Pers. butkada, from but "idol" + kada "dwelling."

Pajamas

from Hindi paajaama, from Persian pāë (pāÿ) jāmah, from pAy (="leg") + jAma (="garment")

Pahlavi

from Pahlavi.

Paradise

from Greek paradeisos (=enclosed park"), from the Avestan word pairidaeza (a walled enclosure), which is a compound of pairi- (around), a cognate of the Greek περί peri-, and -diz (to create, make), a cognate of the English dough. An associated word is the Sanskrit word paradesha which literally means supreme country .

Parasang

Latin parasanga, from Greek parasanges, of Iranian origin; akin to Persian farsung parasang

any of various Persian units of distance; especially : an ancient unit of about four miles (six kilometers)

Pard

Zie

Parsee

Etymology: from O.Pers. parsi "Persian." In M.E., Parsees from Pârsi. Meaning Persian.

Parthia

from Latin< Old Persian parthava-, variant form of the stem Parsa-, from which Persia derives

Parthian

see Parthia

Pasha

from Pâdshâh

Pashmina

from Pashmineh, made from pashm; pashm (= "wool")

Peach

a corruption of the Latin word "Persicum." Peaches are called in Latin malum Persicum (Persian apple) prunum persicum (Persian plum), or simply persicum (pl. persici). This should not be confused with the more modern Linnaean classification Prunus persica, a neologism describing the peach tree itself (from the Latin prunus, -i which signifies "plum tree").

Peri

from pari

Persepolis

from Pârsa+ Greek polis.

Persia

Persian

Persis

from Pârs

Pir

Etymology: Persian Pir (Old Man). a religious instructor, esp. in mystical sects.

pistachio

from Latin pistācium, from Greek πιστάκιον, from Persian pistah

Popinjay

from O.Fr. papegai (12c.), from Sp. papagayo, from Ar. babagha', from Pers. babgha "parrot,"

Punjab

via Hindi Panjab, from Pers. panj "five" + ab "water."

R

roc

from Persian rukh (name of a legendary bird)

rook

from Middle English rok, from Middle French roc, from Arabic rukhkh, from Persian رخ rukh (=chess piece)

rose

from Latin rosa, probably from ancient Greek rhodon, possibly ult. from Pers. *varda-. Zie

roxanne

fem. proper name, from Fr., from L. Roxane, from Gk. Rhoxane, of Pers. origin (cf. Avestan raoxšna- "shining, bright").

S

Sabzi

Etymology: Hindi sabz, literally, greenness, from Persian. a green vegetable

Saffian

Etymology: Russian saf'yan, from Turkish sahtiyan, from Persian sakhtiyn goatskin, from sakht hard, strong. a leather made of goatskins or sheepskins tanned with sumac and dyed with bright colors.

Sandal

Etymology: Arabic sandal, from Persian sandal skiff.

Sapindales

from Persian Spand (اسپند)

Sarangousty

Etymology: Persian sar-angushti thin paste for painting the tips of fingers, from sari angusht fingertip, fromsar head + angusht finger, toe. stucco made waterproof for protection against dampness.

Sarod

Etymology: Hindi sarod, from Persian.

Sarwan

Etymology: Persian saarwaan. a camel driver.

Satrap

governor of a province of ancient Persia, from Latin satrapes, from Greek satrapes, from Old Persian kshathrapavan-, lit. "guardian of the realm,"

scarlet

from Pers. saqalat "a type of red cloth". a rich cloth of bright color. a vivid red that is yellower and slightly paler than apple red

Scimtar

Etymology: Middle French cimeterre, from Old Italian scimitarra, perhaps from Persian shamshir. a type of blade.

Sebesten

Etymology: Middle English, from Arabic sibistn, from Persian segpistan. an East Indian tree (Cordia myxa) with white flowers in loose terminal panicles.

Seer

Etymology: Hindi ser; perhaps akin to Persian seer. a unit of weight.

Seerpaw

Etymology: Sar(head)+paa(feet). head to foot.

Seersucker

from Hindi sirsakar, E. Indian corruption of Pers. shir o shakkar "striped cloth," lit. "milk and sugar".

Sepoy

Etymology: modification of Portuguese sipai, sipaio, from Hindi sipah, from Persian, horseman, soldier of the cavalry, from sipah army. a native of India employed as a soldier in the service of a European power; especially : one serving in the British army.

Serai

Etymology: from Persian saraay, palace, mansion, inn.

Seraglio

from sarây "inn"

Serang

Etymology: Persian sarhang commander, boatswain, from sar chief + hang authority. boatswain. the skipper of a small boat.

Serdab

Persian sardab ice cellar, from sard cold + ab water. a living room in the basement of a house in the Near East that provides coolness during the summer months

Serendipity

from the Persian fairy tale The Three Princes of Serendip, from Persian Sarandip (="Sri Lanka"),

Sesban

Etymology: French, from Arabic saisabaan, from Persian sisabaan. Either of two East Indian plants of the genus Sesbania (S. aculeata and S. aegyptiaca).

Setwall

Etymology: from Persian zaadwar.

Shabandar

Etymology: From Persian shahbandar, from shah King + bandar city, harbor.

Shah

Etymology: from shāh, from Old Persian χšāyaþiya (="king"), from an Old Persian verb meaning "to rule"

Shahi

Etymology: Persian shahi. a former Persian unit of value equal to 1/20 silver kran; also : a corresponding coin of silver or copper or nickel

Shahidi

Etymology: Arabic Shahid (one who bears witness) + Persian suffix i.

Shahin

Etymology: Persiah Shahin (Falcon). an Indian falcon (Falco peregrinus peregrinator) having the underparts of a plain unbarred ferruginous color, being related to the peregrine falcon, and used in falconry

Shahzada

Etymology: Hindi shah-zada, from Persian, from shah king + zada son. The son of a Shah.

Shamiana

Etymology: Hindi shamiyana, from Persian shamyanah. a cloth canopy

Shawl

Etymology: from persian shāl.

Sherristar

Etymology: from Hindi sarrishtadr, from Persian sarrishta(sarreshteh) record office + daar having. Registar.

Sherry

from Jerez in Spain, from Pers Shiraz, from the time of Rustamid empire in Spain

Simurgh

from simurgh

Sipahis

from Persian Sipahi via Turkish

Sitar

via Hindi sitar, from Pers. sitar "three-stringed," from si "three" (O.Pers. thri-) + tar "string"

Sowar

from Persian Savâr.

Spinach

from French espinache, from Arabic isfānākh, from Persian from isfānāj, ispānāk, or aspanākh

-Stan

"country," source of place names such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, etc., from Pers. -stan "country," from Indo-Iranian *stanam "place," lit. "where one stands,"

Sugar

Middle English sugre, sucre, from Anglo-French sucre, from Medieval Latin zuccarum, from Old Italian zucchero, from Arabic sukkar, from Persian shakar, ultimately from Sanskrit sarkara

Sumac

possibly from Persian Somagh.

T

Tabasheer

Etymology: Hindi tabshr, from Persian. a siliceous concretion in the joints of the bamboo valued in the East Indies as a medicine.

Tabor

Etymology: Middle English tabur, from Old French, alteration of tambur. See tambour.

Taffeta

Etymology: from Persian taftah meaning woven.

Tahsildar

Etymology: Hindi tahsildar, from Persian, from Arabic tahsil + Persian -dar. a revenue officer in India.

Taj

Etymology: Arabic taj, from Persian taj, crown, crest, cap. a cap worn in Muslim countries; especially : a tall cone-shaped cap worn by dervishes.

Taj Mahal

from Pers., lit. "the best of buildings;" or "the Crown's Place".

Tajikistan

Tajik combined with Persian suffix -stan. Literally meaning "Land of Tajiks" in Persian.

Talc

from Pers. talk "talc."

Tambour

Etymology: French, drum, from Middle French, from Arabic tanbur, modification (influenced by tunbur, a lute) of Persian tabir.

Tambourine

See above.

Tanbur

Etymology: Persian Tambur.

Tangi

Etymology: Persian Tangi. a narrow gorge

Tandoori

from tannur "oven, portable furnace,"+Persian suffix i.

Tapestry

probably from an Iranian source (cf. Pers. taftan, tabidan "to turn, twist"). .

Tar

Etymology : Persian. An oriental lute.

Tarazet

from (Shahin-e Tarazu) شاهین ترازو

Tass

Etymology: Middle French tasse, from Arabic tass, tassah, from Persian tast. a drinking cup or bowl.

Tebbad

Etymology: perhaps from Persian tab fever + bad wind, from Middle Persian vat; akin to Avestan vata- wind, Sanskrit vata.

Temacha

Etymology: Persian tamakhra joke, humor. a Persian comic or farcical interlude performed by traveling players.

Thanadar

Etymology: Hindi thandar, from than + Persian -dar having. the chief officer of a thana.

Timar

Etymology: Turkish timar attendance, care, timar, from Persian tmr sorrow, care. a Turkish fief formerly held under condition of military service.

Tiger

via Greek tigris from an Iranian source

Toque

from O. Pers. taq "veil, shawl."

Trabant

Etymology: German trabant, drabant, from Czech drabant, from Persian darwan porter, doorkeeper.

Tranky

Etymology: Persian dialect tranki. an undecked bark used in the Persian gulf.

Trehala

Etymology: probably from French tréhala, from Turkish tgala, from Persian tighal.

Tulip

Etymology: any of various plants belonging to the genus Tulipa. from French tulipe, from Persian dulband.

Turan

from Persian توران

Turanian

Etymology: Persian Turan Turkistan, the region north of the Oxus + English -ian. A member of any of the peoples of Ural-Altaic stock.

Turanite

Etymology: from Persian Turan + Russian -it' -ite. a basic vanadate of copper prob. Cu5(VO4)2(OH)4.

Turanose

Etymology: German turanos, from Persian Turan + German -os -ose; obtained by the partial hydrolysis of melezitose; 3-α-glucosyl-fructose

Turban

from Persian dulband Band = To close, To tie.

Turkmenistan

Turkmen combined with Persian suffix -stan. Literally meaning "Land of Turkmens" in Persian.

U

Uzbekistan

Uzbek combined with Persian suffix -stan. Literally meaning "Land of Uzbeks" in Persian.

V

vizier

وزير etymology disputed; general references often derive it from Arabic wazir, "viceroy", lit. "one who bears (the burden of office)", lit. "porter, carrier", from Arabic wazara, "he carried". However, Jared S. Klein derives it from Middle Persian vichir, from Avestan vicira, "arbitrator, judge".

X

Xerxes

Gk. form of O. Pers. Kshayarshan-, lit. "male (i.e. 'hero') among kings," from Kshaya- "king" (cf. shah) + arshan "male, man."

Y

Yarak

Etymology: From Persian yaraki power, strength. good flying condition : FETTLE -- used of a hawk or other bird used in hunting eagles ... are difficult to get into yarak -- Douglas Carruthers.

Yuft

Etymology: Russian yuft', yukht', perhaps from Persian juft pair.

Z

Zamindar

Etymology: zamindar, from Persian, from zamn land + -dar holder meaning "Possessor of real estate" in Persian. A collector of revenues from the cultivators of the land of a specified district for the government of India during the period of Muslim rule

Zamindari

Etymology: from Persian, from zamindar.

Zanza

Etymology: Arabic sanj castanets, cymbals, from Persian sanj. an African musical instrument consisting of graduated sets of tongues of wood or metal inserted into and resonated by a wooden box and sounded by plucking with the fingers or thumbs.

Zarathushtra or Zarathustra

the Persian prophet

Zedoary

Etymology: Middle English zeduarie, from Medieval Latin zeduria, from Arabic zadwr, from Persian. an East Indian drug consisting of the rhizome of either of two species of curcuma, Curcuma zedoaria or C. aromatica, used as a stimulant.

Zenana

Etymology: From Persian zan woman. The literal meaning is Women-related. The part of a dwelling in which the women of a family are secluded in India and Persian.

Zena

feminine given name from Persian Zan (woman).

Zerda

Etymology: Arabic zerdaw, probably of Persian origin. Fennec.

Zircon

from Persian zargun, "gold-colored"

Zirconate

zircon + the suffix -ate, from Latin -atus

Zirconia

zircon + the New Latin -ia suffix

Zirconium

zircon + the New Latin suffix -ium

Zoroaster

from Persian Zarathushtra

Zoroastrianism

The religion brought forth by Zoroaster.

Zumbooruk

from Persian zanburah.

References

Note: "OED" means Oxford English Dictionary. Ed. J.A. Simpson and E.S.C. Weiner. 2nd ed. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1989. OED Online Oxford University Press. Accessed May 3, 2006.

Sources

• Online etymology dictionary
• Persian in English: Interaction of languages and cultures. by Mirfazaelian A., published by Farhang Moaser, Tehran, Iran 2006. (in Persian)

External links

• Sharon Turner "Persian origins of Anglo-Saxon words"
• English words borrowed from Persian