Etymology Explorer › Swahili

Where does “maalum” come from?

maalum (Swahili) comes from Urdu معلوم, from Arabic مَعْلُوم, from Arabic عَلِمَ, from Arabic ل, from Proto-Semitic *lV-.

maalum (Swahili): special, distinguished; famous, well-known;...

Definitions

  1. special, distinguished; famous, well-known;...

Ancestry of “maalum”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Urduمعلوم—
2Arabicمَعْلُومknown
3Arabicعَلِمَto know, to perceive, to distinguish
4Arabicلto, for, belonging to; لَـ •; Used to express...
5Proto-Semitic*lV-—
Every word from Proto-Semitic *lV- →