List of English words of Persian origin
This is a list of words that were borrowed into English from Persian language.
- bazaar
- from bāzār (="market")
- caravan
- from kārwān
- caviar
- from Khag-avar (="roe generator")
- checkmate
- from Middle French eschec mat, from Arabic shah mat, from Persian shah mat (="the King cannot escape/is dead")
- divan
- from Turkish divan, from dēvān
- jackal
- khaki
- from khaki (="dusty")
- kiosk
- from kushk (="palace, portico, pavilion")
- kismet
- possibly from qismat or from Turkish kismet from Arabic qisma(t)
- Orange
- from Milanese narans, from Arabic nāranj, from Persian nārang < Sanskrit nāraṅga, from a Dravidian language
- pajama, pyjama
- from pāė (pā’) jāmah
- pistachio
- from Latin pistācium, from Greek πιστάκιον, from Persian pistah
- shawl
- from shāl
- shah
- from shāh, from Old Persian χšāyaþiya (="king", probably originally "mighty")
- spinach
- possibly originally from isfānāj, ispānāk, or aspanākh
- sugar
- possibly originally from shakar
- turban
- from dulbănd
- Zirconium
- from zargūn (="gold colour")
See also
English words of Persian Origin
Some people think that Navy comes from Nav, the Persian word for Ship, but that is not documented. The following words are verified with Merriam-Webster Dictionary:
Arsenic: From Persian Zarnig Attar: From Persian Atr (perfume) Azure: From Persian Lajavard Bazaar: From Persian Bazar Bezoar: From Persian pAd-zahr Borax: From Persian burah Bulbul: From Persian Bulbul the bird Caravan: From Persian Karevan Check: From Persian "King" Checkmate: From Persian King is dead or unable to escape Cummerbund: From Persian, from kamar (waist) + band (band -- band, bandanah... are shared in English, Persian and Sanskrit) Dervish: From Persian Darvish Firm: from farmaan (Dr. Saha in his book "Effects of Persia on Spain" claims that 'firmar' in Spanish comes from Persian farmaan) God: Anglo-Saxon God; German Gott; akin to Persian khoda Jackal: From Persian Shoghal Jasmine: From Persian Yasmin, the name of a climbing plant with fragrant flowers. Julep: From Persian Gulab. Kabob: From Persian Kabab Khaki: From Persian Khak Kiosk: From Persian Kushk (pavilion) Lilac: From Persian Nilak (bluish) Lemon: From the world Limon Magic: From Persian Magus (Sorcerer) Mogul: From Persian Moghul (referring to Mongolians) Musk: From Persian Musk (perfume, perhaps nafeh-e-aahooye-khotan) Orange: From the word Naranj which may be Persian or Arabic Pajamas: From Persian pA (leg) + jAma (garment) Paradise: From Greek paradeisos, literally, enclosed park, of Iranian origin (walled garden) Peach: From Latin (malum) persicum, literally, Persian fruit Pilaf: From Persian Pilav (modern Parsi speakers say Pillaw or Polo) Pistachio: From Persian pistah Rook: From Persian Rukh (chess piece) Serendipity: From its possession by the heroes of the Persian fairy tale The Three Princes of Serendip Saffron: from Zafaraan Shah: From Persian Shah Shawl: From Persian Shal Spinach: From Persian Esfenaj Sugar: from Shekar Tambourine: From Tambour which comes from Persian Tabir (tabl) Tiara: Royal Persian Headdress Turban: From Persian Dulband Zirconium: The word Zircon comes from Persian zargūn (literally "gold color").