Vol. 09 · Loanwords ·Arabic ·1500s
Artichoke
from al-kharshūf
- Meaning
- The edible thistle *Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus*.
- Source word
- al-kharshūf
- Route into English
- Arabic → Spanish Arabic *al-karshūfa* → Old Spanish *alcarchofa* → Italian *articiocco* → English. English folk-etymology twisted the ending to *-choke* around ideas of the heart being "choked" by leaves.
- Arrived
- 1500s
From Arabic
Science, trade, and the Mediterranean transit of Andalusian scholarship gave English its Arabic stratum — especially in maths, chemistry, and commerce. Many entered through Latin or Italian.
English borrows.
Browse the full loanword atlas or explore another source language.