Where does “Algebra” come from?
Algebra (German) comes from Italian algebra, from Polish algebra, from Russian а́лгебра, from Medieval Latin algebraica, from Arabic الْجَبْر, from Latin algebra, from Arabic جبر, from Arabic جَبَرَ — to set a broken bone; to treat kindly.
Ancestry of “Algebra”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Italian | algebra | algebra |
| 2 | Polish | algebra | algebra |
| 3 | Russian | а́лгебра | — |
| 4 | Medieval Latin | algebraica | nominative feminine singular of algebraicus;... |
| 5 | Arabic | الْجَبْر | — |
| 6 | Latin | algebra | algebra |
| 7 | Arabic | جبر | to set; to restore; to force, to compel |
| 8 | Arabic | جَبَرَ | to set a broken bone; to treat kindly |