Vol. 09 · Loanwords ·Arabic ·1390s
Cipher
from ṣifr
- Meaning
- Empty, nothing — the original word for zero.
- Source word
- ṣifr
- Route into English
- Arabic → Medieval Latin *cifra* → Old French *cifre* → English. "Cipher" and "zero" are doublets — same Arabic source, different transmission routes.
- Arrived
- 1390s
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.