Where does “alfalfa” come from?

alfalfa (Italian) comes from Spanish alfalfa, from Spanish alfalfez, from Arabic فصفص, from Old Median *aspāstiš, from Proto-Iranian *HacwaHastiš — alfalfa, lucerne.

alfalfa (Italian): lucerne, alfalfa (Medicago sativa)

Definitions

  1. lucerne, alfalfa (Medicago sativa)

Ancestry of “alfalfa”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Spanishalfalfaalfalfa
2SpanishalfalfezAlternative form of alfalfa
3Arabicفصفصlucerne, alfalfa
4Old Median*aspāstišalfalfa
5Proto-Iranian*HacwaHastišalfalfa, lucerne
Every word from Proto-Iranian *HacwaHastišEvery word from Old Median *aspāstišEvery word from Arabic فصفص