Where does “alcohol” come from?
Alcohol comes from French alcohol, from Arabic كحل (kohl, a cosmetic powder), from Aramaic כוחלא (khukhlā, fine powder).
alcohol (English): Any of a class of organic compounds containing a...
Definitions
- Any of a class of organic compounds containing a...
Ancestry of “alcohol”, step by step
alcohol traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via French alcohol
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | alcohol | Alternative spelling of alcool |
| 2 | Medieval Latin | alcohol | powdered ore of antimony; kohl, collyrium,... |
| 3 | Arabic | كحل | antimony; kohl, stibnite; black coloring of the... |
| 4 | Arabic | كُحْل | antimony; kohl, stibnite |
| 5 | Akkadian | guḫlum | kohl, antimony paste |
via Latin alcohol
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | alcohol | kohl, collyrium, stibium; any other powder... |
| 2 | Andalusian Arabic | كُحُول | — |
via Old French alcohol
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | alcohol | alcohol |