Where does “marfil” come from?
marfil (Spanish) comes from Old Spanish almalfil, from Arabic عَظْم اَلْفِيل, from Arabic فِيل, from Middle Persian pyl, from Latin pirum — a pear.
marfil (Spanish): ivory
Definitions
- ivory
Ancestry of “marfil”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old Spanish | almalfil | — |
| 2 | Arabic | عَظْم اَلْفِيل | elephant-bone |
| 3 | Arabic | فِيل | elephant; the elephant |
| 4 | Middle Persian | pyl | elephant; bishop |
| 5 | Latin | pirum | a pear |