Loan-Words and Where They Come From

Below is a list of different languages and some English words that derive from roots in those languages. This is by no
means a comprehensive list. There are many, many more such words than are listed here. And do not draw
conclusions based on the number of words listed. While in some cases a conclusion may be valid (e.g., Finnish has
one word listed and the impact Finnish has had on English is indeed minimal), in others it may not be (e.g., Arabic
has about as many words listed as Latin, but the impact of Latin on English is incomparably larger).

This is a sample only. Some of these words come into English via other languages (e.g., many native American
words arrive via Spanish). I've tried to note where such intermediary languages are common. Words marked with a
question mark (?) are of uncertain origin, but probably come from that language.
African  Compound  Interest  Cairn  Osteoporosi
Languages  Orangutan Dutch/Flemish/  Judge  Galore s
 Rattan Low German  Loyal  Whiskey  Patriarch
Bantu  Sarong  Bluff  Marvel  Gab  Phenomeno
 Bwana  Boor  Mutton  Banshee n
 Chimpanzee Polynesian  Boss  Paste  Brogue  Photograph
 Impala  Aloha  Brandy  Place  Hooligan  Photon
 Mamba  Hula  Bully  Poison  Leprechaun  Rhinoceros
 Marimba  Kiwi  Clamp  Port  Shamrock  Rhododendro
 Zombie  Lanai  Clipper  Priest  Shillelagh n
 Lei  Coleslaw  Push  Smithereens  Souvlaki
West African  Muumuu  Cookie  Quarter  Clan  Stigma
 Banjo (?)  Taboo  Dapper  Quest  Claymore  Synthesis
 Gumbo  Tattoo  Derrick  Royal  Glen  Thesis
 Jazz (?)  Ukelele  Dope  Stuff  Loch
 Juju  Drill  Sure  Plaid Hindi/Urdu
 Juke Basque (via  Drum  Tempest  Slogan  Bungalow
 Mumbo- Spanish)  Easel  Ticket  Trousers  Dinghy
jumbo  Jai alai  Frolic  Trick  Dungaree
 Okra  Golf German  Loot
 Voodoo Dravidian  Grime French, Modern  Blitz  Raj
 Yam Languages  Hunk  Aperitif  Cobalt  Shampoo
 Kink  Avant-garde  Dachshund  Tom-tom
Altaic Languages Tamil  Landscape  Bidet  Dote
Turkish/Tatar  Catamaran  Loiter Icelandic
 Bourgeois  Feldspar
 Kaftan  Curry  Rant  Auk
 Brasserie  Frankfurter
 Coffee  Mango  Runt  Geyser
 Café  Hamburger
 Cossack  Pariah  Scow  Saga
 Camouflage  Kindergarten
 Divan  Skipper  Chateau  Pretzel
 Horde Indo-European Italian (often
 Sled  Chef  Quartz
 Khan Languages via French)
 Slim  Coup de grace  Sauerkraut
 Mammoth  Adagio
Afrikaans  Smack  Coup d’etat  Tackle
 Tartar  Alfresco
 Aardvark  Smuggle  Croissant  Waltz
 Turkey  Alto
 Apartheid  Snap  Cuisine  Zeitgeist
 Turquoise  Andante
 Commando  Snoop  Debacle
 Yogurt  Arpeggio
 Trek  Splint  Debut Greek
 Battalion
 Spook  Dessert  Abiogenesis
Austronesian  Bimbo
Celtic, Ancient  Stoop  Elite  Aegis
Languages  Bordello
 Ambassador  Yacht  Etiquette  Agnostic
 Bravo
Australian  Bard  Fiancé  Alphabet
French, Old  Canto
Aboriginal  Bracket  Garage  Analysis
 Allow  Cello
 Boomerang  Breeches  Gourmand  Antithesis
 Bastard  Charlatan
 Kangaroo  Car  Gourmet  Atheism
 Beauty  Concerto
 Koala  Carry  Hors d’oeuvre  Automatic
 Beef  Confetti
 Wallaby  Career  Hotel  Biology
 Brush  Contralto
 Wombat  Carriage  Liaison  Blasphemy
 Castle  Crescendo
 Cargo  Limousine  Charisma
 Chivalry  Cupola
Javanese  Carpenter  Lingerie  Cinema
 Choice  Diminuendo
 Bantam  Charge  Marionette  Crisis
 Cloister  Extravaganz
 Batik  Druid  Morale  Criterion
a
 Junk  Embassy  Conquest  Parole  Criticism
 Fiasco
 Minion  Constraint  Petite  Diagnosis
 Fortissimo
Malay  Peat  Court  Pirouette  Dogma
 Fresco
 Amok  Piece  Defeat  Prestige  Drama
 Frigate
 Bamboo  Vassal  Destroy  Regime  Electron
 Ghetto
 Caddy  Valet  Dinner  Silhouette  Enigma
 Gigolo
 Camphor  Forest  Souvenir  Gene
 Graffiti
 Cockatoo Czech  Frail  Vignette  Genesis
 Lasagne
 Gecko  Howitzer  Garden  Voyeur  Magma
 Libretto
 Gingham  Pistol  Govern  Narcolepsy
 Macaroni
 Gong  Robot  Honest Gaelic  Odyssey
 Mafia
 Hostel  Bog  Oligarchy

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 Mezzosoprano  Homo sapiens  Dregs  Slalom
 Minestrone  Honor  Egg Scots Welsh
 Mozzarella  Honorarium  Fellow Persian  Bogle  Bug
 Novella  Igneous  Flat  Arsenic  Bonnie  Cwm
 Pasta  Ignite  Flaunt  Azure  Burn  Flannel
 Piano-forte  Illiteracy  Flaw  Bazaar  Canny
 Piazza  Immoral  Fleck  Caravan  Collie Yiddish
 Picturesque  Immortality  Flimsy  Check  Cosy  Chutzpah
 Pizza  Inertia  Gasp  Checkmate  Eerie  Shlemiel
 Pizzicato  Ingenious  Gaunt  Dervish  Forebear  Shlep
 Ravioli  Interim  Gaze  Jackal  Glamour  Shlock
 Regatta  Latex  Girth  Khaki  Glengarry  Schmaltz
 Seraglio  Literature  Glint  Kiosk  Gloaming
 Solo  Locus  Glitter  Lilac  Glower Japanese
 Sonata  Media  Gloat  Magic  Gumption  Aikido
 Spaghetti  Meditate  Happen  Mogul  Lilt  Bonsai
 Stanza  Memorandum  Harsh  Pajamas  Pony  Bushido
 Tirade  Memory  Inkling  Paradise  Raid  Futon
 Moment  Kick  Peach  Rampage  Geisha
Latin (often via  Momentum  Kilt  Pilaf  Uncanny  Haiku
French)  Moral  Law  Pistachio  Wee  Judo
 A posteriori  Noble  Leg  Shawl  Weird  Jujitsu
 Ad hoc  Onus  Loan  Spinach  Wizened  Kabuki
 Add  Opera  Meek  Talc  Wraith  Karaoke
 Addendum  Ovum  Muck  Tiara  Kendo
 Addition  Pauper  Muggy  Tulip Spanish  Kimono
 Agent  Pendulum  Nasty  Turban  Adobe  Mikado
 Apex  Peninsula  Nudge  Alligator  Ninja
 Aqueduct  Post mortem  Oaf Portuguese  Anchovy  Origami
 Area  Propaganda  Odd  Albino  Armada  Sake
 Audio  Quid pro quo  Raise  Caste  Armadillo  Samurai
 Audit  Radium  Root  Marmalade  Barricade  Sashimi
 Bacteria  Referendum  Scalp  Molasses  Bravado  Satsuma
 Cactus  Revise  Scant  Cask  Shogun
 Camera  Series  Scowl Romany  Chinchilla  Soy
 Cancer  Sex  Seat  Pal  Embargo  Sumo
 Candle  Similar  Skewer  Posh (?)  Galleon  Sushi
 Caveat  Simile  Skid  Grenade  Tofu
 Circus Sanskrit (through  Guerilla  Tycoon
 Status  Skill
 Color various  Hacienda  Zen
 Stimulus  Skin
 Colossus languages)  Hoosegow
 Temple  Skull
 Complex  Avatar  Lariat Native
 Terminus  Sky
 Consider  Banyan  Mosquito American
 Vertigo  Sniff
 Contemplate  Brahmin  Mulatto Languages
 Victor  Snub
 Data  Buddha  Negro
 Video  Squall Aleut/Inuit
 De facto  Carmine  Peccadillo
 Squeal  Igloo
 De jure  Cheetah  Pinto
Norse  Take
 Chutney  Kayak
 Decide  Anger  They  Pronto
 Discus  Crimson  Ranch
 Balderdash  Thrall Algonquin
 Equilibrium  Guru  Renegade
 Bleak  Thrift  Caucus
 Erupt  Juggernaut  Sherry
 Blink  Thrust  Chipmunk
 Ex post facto  Jungle  Silo
 Bloom  Ugly  Hickory
 Extempore  Karma  Sombrero
 Blunder  Want  Moccasin
 Fauna  Lacquer  Stampede
 Blur  Weak  Moose
 Fiat  Mandarin  Stevedore
 Call  Window  Muskrat
 Flora  Mantra  Vamoose
 Clamber  Opossum
 Formula  Nirvana  Vigilante
 Creek Norwegian  Papoose
 Fungus  Pundit
 Crook  Fjord  Pecan
 General  Sapphire Swedish
 Die  Floe  Persimmon
 Genius  Sugar  Ombudsman
 Dirt  Lemming  Pow-wow
 Genus  Swastika  Smorgasbord
 Doze  Ski  Raccoon
 Yoga  Tungsten

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 Skunk  Cayenne  Genie  Tariff Sino-Tibetan
 Squash Nahuatl (via  Cougar  Ghoul  Zero Languages
 Squaw Spanish)  Jaguar  Giraffe
 Succotash  Avocado  Petunia  Harem Aramaic Chinese
 Toboggan  Cocoa  Tapioca  Hashish  Abbot  China
 Tomahawk  Chili  Tapir  Hazard  Pharisee  Chopsticks
 Wampum  Chocolate  Toucan  Hookah  Chopsuey
 Wigwam  Coyote  Islam Hebrew (often via  Chow Mein
 Woodchuck  Mescal Semitic  Jasmine Greek, Latin, or  Ginseng
 Peyote Languages  Jihad Yiddish)  Gung-ho
Arawakan (often  Tomato  Kismet  Alphabet  Ketchup
via Spanish) Arabic  Lemon  Amen  Kowtow
 Barbecue Quechua (via  Admiral  Magazine  Bedlam  Kung-fu
 Hammock Spanish)  Albatross  Minaret  Behemoth  Pekoe
 Iguana  Jerky  Alchemy  Monsoon  Cabal  Tai chi
 Potato  Cocaine  Alcohol  Nadir  Camel  Tao
 Tobacco  Condor  Alcove  Safari  Cherub  Tea
 Savannah  Guano  Algebra  Saffron  Cinnamon
 Llama  Alkali  Salaam  Hallelujah Uralic
Carib (often via  Pampas  Almanac  Sash  Manna Languages
Spanish)  Puma  Apricot  Scarlet  Maudlin
 Cannibal  Arsenal  Messiah Finnish
 Sequin
 Canoe Tupi-Guarini (via  Assassin  Rabbi  Sauna
 Sheik
 Hurricane French,  Bedouin  Sabbath
 Sherbet Hungarian
 Maize Portuguese, &  Cipher  Seraphim
Spanish)  Sofa  Goulash
 Manatee  Emir  Syrup  Shalom
 Papaya  Buccaneer  Gazelle  Sodomy  Paprika
 Cashew  Talisman
 Yucca

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© 1997-2003, by David Wilton. All rights reserved.