Spanish word

arabismo

Pronunciation

IPA/aɾaˈβismo/

Meaning

  • masculine nounArabic loanword

Example

En español hay muchos arabismos que usamos a diario.

In Spanish there are many Arabic loanwords that we use every day.

Illustration for arabismo (Arabic loanword)

More examples

En las Islas Canarias se conservan arabismos de uso tradicional.

In the Canary Islands traditional Arabic loanwords are preserved.

Core concept

Spanish vocabulary inherited from Arabic.

Common phrases

  • arabismos en el vocabulario cotidiano

    Arabic loanwords in everyday vocabulary

  • arabismos comunes

    common Arabic loanwords

Similar words

préstamo: Word borrowed from another language and integrated into Spanish vocabulary.
extranjerismo: Foreign-language word used in Spanish, often kept in its original form and marked as foreign.

Definition in Spanish

Término que se aplica a vocablos del español que proceden del árabe.

Word origin

The word comes from Spanish árabe 'Arabic' plus the suffix -ismo and names words that entered Spanish from Arabic during medieval Iberian contact.

Usage tips

  • Many such words preserve the Arabic definite article al- at the start (alcalde, alfombra, azúcar), so initial al- is a useful clue though not a guarantee.

Other meanings

  • Arabic borrowingnoun

Word lists with this word