Loan Words
Loan Words
Loan Words
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.