Etymology Explorer › Spanish

Where does “alcatraz” come from?

alcatraz (Spanish) comes from Arabic قرطاس, from Arabic قِرْطَاس, from Aramaic קַרְטֵיסָא, from Ancient Greek χάρτης, from Ancient Greek χαράσσω, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰer- — to yearn for; to enclose; bowels, intestines.

alcatraz (Spanish): gannet; roll of paper, paper cone, cornet; arum

Definitions

  1. gannet; roll of paper, paper cone, cornet; arum

Ancestry of “alcatraz”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Arabicقرطاسpaper, page; book, scroll, parchment; papyrus
2Arabicقِرْطَاسpaper, page
3Aramaicקַרְטֵיסָא—
4Ancient Greekχάρτηςsheet of paper, paper; book
5Ancient Greekχαράσσωto sharpen; to engrave, carve, write, draw, stamp
6Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰer-to yearn for; to enclose; bowels, intestines

Words derived from “alcatraz”

  • albatross
  • albatros
  • albatros
  • albatroz
  • albatros
  • albatros
  • albatras
  • albatros
  • albatros
  • albatros
  • albatras
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰer- →