Where does “giaour” come from?
giaour (French) comes from Ottoman Turkish كاور, from Persian گاور, from Persian گبر, from Aramaic 𐡂𐡁𐡓𐡀, from Proto-Semitic gabr- — man; strong man, hero.
Ancestry of “giaour”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Ottoman Turkish | كاور | non-Muslim; infidel, kafir, giaour |
| 2 | Persian | گاور | Alternative form of گبر |
| 3 | Persian | گبر | hauberk; Zoroastrian; kafir, infidel |
| 4 | Aramaic | 𐡂𐡁𐡓𐡀 | man, husband |
| 5 | Proto-Semitic | gabr- | man; strong man, hero |