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© Shutterstock
0 / 30 Fotos
Boss
- The word "boss" comes from the Dutch term baas, meaning master. It was first used in English during the early 1800s in the United States.
© Shutterstock
1 / 30 Fotos
Chocolate
- "Chocolate" was translated from Spanish via Nahuatl, an indigenous language from central Mexico. In that language, the word chocolātl was first used to describe what we today call hot chocolate.
© Shutterstock
2 / 30 Fotos
Zero
- "Zero" comes from the Arabic word sifr. It was introduced to the English language by way of the Medieval Latin zephirum via French and Italian.
© Shutterstock
3 / 30 Fotos
Cookie
- The word for these delicious treats is actually derived from the Dutch koekjes, which means little cakes. The word for cake is koek.
© Shutterstock
4 / 30 Fotos
Souvenir
- "Souvenir" is one of many words taken directly from the French language. It describes something kept as a reminder, and it literally means the "act of remembering."
© Shutterstock
5 / 30 Fotos
Corgi
- The Pembroke Welsh Corgi name doesn't actually have English origins. Besides the town name of Pembroke, it combines two Welsh words: cor meaning dwarf, and ci meaning dog.
© Shutterstock
6 / 30 Fotos
Kudos
- Used as praise for achievement, this word originates from the Greek term kydos, which translates as fame and glory.
© Shutterstock
7 / 30 Fotos
Waffle
- We can all thank the Dutch for "waffles," or wafel. It comes from the Proto-Germanic word wabila, meaning web or honeycomb, which makes sense due to its shape and texture.
© Shutterstock
8 / 30 Fotos
Tattoo
- The word for the body art we call a "tattoo" is actually the English adaptation of the Polynesian word tatau. It literally means "mark made on the skin."
© Shutterstock
9 / 30 Fotos
Lemon and lime
- The Arabic language provided us with many words, including the ones for "lemon" and "lime," which are laymūn and līm, respectively.
© Shutterstock
10 / 30 Fotos
Brunette
- "Brunette," which is used in English to describe someone with brown hair, is taken directly from the French feminine word for a woman with brown hair. The masculine form used is brunet.
© Shutterstock
11 / 30 Fotos
Mammoth
- The word for this long-extinct animal comes from the Dutch word mammut via the Russian term mammot, which means "large, terrible beast."
© Shutterstock
12 / 30 Fotos
Glitch
- The word "glitch" is usually used to describe a minor malfunction involving electronics. The origin of this word comes from the Yiddish word glitsh, which actually means slippery place.
© Shutterstock
13 / 30 Fotos
Landscape
- Used in English to describe things like scenery or the perspective of a photograph, it's originally from the Dutch landschap, which combines the terms land and schap, or "land-ship."
© Shutterstock
14 / 30 Fotos
RSVP
- You've seen this in several invitations, and it's actually an acronym for the French phrase répondez s'il vous plaît, which translates to please reply.
© Shutterstock
15 / 30 Fotos
Sofa
- "Sofa" is originally a Turkish word that means "raised section of a floor, covered with carpets and cushions." And the Turkish origin of the word actually comes from the Arabic suffah, meaning bench stone.
© Shutterstock
16 / 30 Fotos
Ketchup
- Even though "ketchup" is an American culinary staple, the term didn't actually originate in the US. It comes from the Hokkien Chinese word kê-tsiap, which is a sauce made from fermented fish.
© Shutterstock
17 / 30 Fotos
Alcohol
- The word "alcohol" derives from the Arabic al-kuhl, which refers to a powdered antimony that was used as eye paint. When the word first entered the English language, it described powders like kohl and not the liquid substance.
© Getty Images
18 / 30 Fotos
Avatar
- Commonly applied to a person’s representation in the virtual world, it surprisingly has Sanskrit origin. In Hinduism, it refers to the manifestation of a god in bodily form.
© Shutterstock
19 / 30 Fotos
Ranch
- Used when talking about farmland for horses and cattle, the word comes from the Mexican-Spanish term rancho, which means small ranch.
© Shutterstock
20 / 30 Fotos
Shampoo
- "Shampoo" comes from the Hindi and Urdu languages. It's derived from the words cā̃po and cā̃pnā, meaning "to press" or "massage."
© Shutterstock
21 / 30 Fotos
Karaoke
- "Karaoke" comes from two combined Japanese words: kara, meaning empty, and okesutura, meaning orchestra.
© Shutterstock
22 / 30 Fotos
Kindergarten
- Kindergarten is a German word that literally translates to "children's garden." The concept was conceived of in Germany in 1837 by educator Friedrich Froebel.
© Shutterstock
23 / 30 Fotos
Cul-de-sac
- In English, "cul-de-sac" is used to describe streets that are closed off at one end in suburban neighborhoods. The term is of French origin, and means bottom of the bag.
© Shutterstock
24 / 30 Fotos
Entrepreneur
- Originating from the French term entreprendre, it means to undertake. In English that means as an entrepreneur you undertake your own business.
© Shutterstock
25 / 30 Fotos
Patio
- Spelled the same way in English, patio is a Spanish word that refers to courtyards within popular medieval buildings. The English version is typically used in reference to backyard seating areas.
© Shutterstock
26 / 30 Fotos
Genre
- In English, the word "genre" is used to describe a particular style, like horror, comedy, or romance. Originating from the French genre, it translates to gender or type.
© Shutterstock
27 / 30 Fotos
Tsunami
- In Japanese, the word means harbor wave. It was first used in English in an 1896 issue of National Geographic to describe an earthquake-driven tsunami that struck Japan.
© Shutterstock
28 / 30 Fotos
Angst
- In English, this word is used to describe feelings of anger and insecurity. It comes from the German word angst, which means distress, worry, and anxiety. Sources: (Mental Floss) (FluentU) (Cudoo) See also: All about the international language Esperanto, and other constructed languages
© Shutterstock
29 / 30 Fotos
© Shutterstock
0 / 30 Fotos
Boss
- The word "boss" comes from the Dutch term baas, meaning master. It was first used in English during the early 1800s in the United States.
© Shutterstock
1 / 30 Fotos
Chocolate
- "Chocolate" was translated from Spanish via Nahuatl, an indigenous language from central Mexico. In that language, the word chocolātl was first used to describe what we today call hot chocolate.
© Shutterstock
2 / 30 Fotos
Zero
- "Zero" comes from the Arabic word sifr. It was introduced to the English language by way of the Medieval Latin zephirum via French and Italian.
© Shutterstock
3 / 30 Fotos
Cookie
- The word for these delicious treats is actually derived from the Dutch koekjes, which means little cakes. The word for cake is koek.
© Shutterstock
4 / 30 Fotos
Souvenir
- "Souvenir" is one of many words taken directly from the French language. It describes something kept as a reminder, and it literally means the "act of remembering."
© Shutterstock
5 / 30 Fotos
Corgi
- The Pembroke Welsh Corgi name doesn't actually have English origins. Besides the town name of Pembroke, it combines two Welsh words: cor meaning dwarf, and ci meaning dog.
© Shutterstock
6 / 30 Fotos
Kudos
- Used as praise for achievement, this word originates from the Greek term kydos, which translates as fame and glory.
© Shutterstock
7 / 30 Fotos
Waffle
- We can all thank the Dutch for "waffles," or wafel. It comes from the Proto-Germanic word wabila, meaning web or honeycomb, which makes sense due to its shape and texture.
© Shutterstock
8 / 30 Fotos
Tattoo
- The word for the body art we call a "tattoo" is actually the English adaptation of the Polynesian word tatau. It literally means "mark made on the skin."
© Shutterstock
9 / 30 Fotos
Lemon and lime
- The Arabic language provided us with many words, including the ones for "lemon" and "lime," which are laymūn and līm, respectively.
© Shutterstock
10 / 30 Fotos
Brunette
- "Brunette," which is used in English to describe someone with brown hair, is taken directly from the French feminine word for a woman with brown hair. The masculine form used is brunet.
© Shutterstock
11 / 30 Fotos
Mammoth
- The word for this long-extinct animal comes from the Dutch word mammut via the Russian term mammot, which means "large, terrible beast."
© Shutterstock
12 / 30 Fotos
Glitch
- The word "glitch" is usually used to describe a minor malfunction involving electronics. The origin of this word comes from the Yiddish word glitsh, which actually means slippery place.
© Shutterstock
13 / 30 Fotos
Landscape
- Used in English to describe things like scenery or the perspective of a photograph, it's originally from the Dutch landschap, which combines the terms land and schap, or "land-ship."
© Shutterstock
14 / 30 Fotos
RSVP
- You've seen this in several invitations, and it's actually an acronym for the French phrase répondez s'il vous plaît, which translates to please reply.
© Shutterstock
15 / 30 Fotos
Sofa
- "Sofa" is originally a Turkish word that means "raised section of a floor, covered with carpets and cushions." And the Turkish origin of the word actually comes from the Arabic suffah, meaning bench stone.
© Shutterstock
16 / 30 Fotos
Ketchup
- Even though "ketchup" is an American culinary staple, the term didn't actually originate in the US. It comes from the Hokkien Chinese word kê-tsiap, which is a sauce made from fermented fish.
© Shutterstock
17 / 30 Fotos
Alcohol
- The word "alcohol" derives from the Arabic al-kuhl, which refers to a powdered antimony that was used as eye paint. When the word first entered the English language, it described powders like kohl and not the liquid substance.
© Getty Images
18 / 30 Fotos
Avatar
- Commonly applied to a person’s representation in the virtual world, it surprisingly has Sanskrit origin. In Hinduism, it refers to the manifestation of a god in bodily form.
© Shutterstock
19 / 30 Fotos
Ranch
- Used when talking about farmland for horses and cattle, the word comes from the Mexican-Spanish term rancho, which means small ranch.
© Shutterstock
20 / 30 Fotos
Shampoo
- "Shampoo" comes from the Hindi and Urdu languages. It's derived from the words cā̃po and cā̃pnā, meaning "to press" or "massage."
© Shutterstock
21 / 30 Fotos
Karaoke
- "Karaoke" comes from two combined Japanese words: kara, meaning empty, and okesutura, meaning orchestra.
© Shutterstock
22 / 30 Fotos
Kindergarten
- Kindergarten is a German word that literally translates to "children's garden." The concept was conceived of in Germany in 1837 by educator Friedrich Froebel.
© Shutterstock
23 / 30 Fotos
Cul-de-sac
- In English, "cul-de-sac" is used to describe streets that are closed off at one end in suburban neighborhoods. The term is of French origin, and means bottom of the bag.
© Shutterstock
24 / 30 Fotos
Entrepreneur
- Originating from the French term entreprendre, it means to undertake. In English that means as an entrepreneur you undertake your own business.
© Shutterstock
25 / 30 Fotos
Patio
- Spelled the same way in English, patio is a Spanish word that refers to courtyards within popular medieval buildings. The English version is typically used in reference to backyard seating areas.
© Shutterstock
26 / 30 Fotos
Genre
- In English, the word "genre" is used to describe a particular style, like horror, comedy, or romance. Originating from the French genre, it translates to gender or type.
© Shutterstock
27 / 30 Fotos
Tsunami
- In Japanese, the word means harbor wave. It was first used in English in an 1896 issue of National Geographic to describe an earthquake-driven tsunami that struck Japan.
© Shutterstock
28 / 30 Fotos
Angst
- In English, this word is used to describe feelings of anger and insecurity. It comes from the German word angst, which means distress, worry, and anxiety. Sources: (Mental Floss) (FluentU) (Cudoo) See also: All about the international language Esperanto, and other constructed languages
© Shutterstock
29 / 30 Fotos
Common English words borrowed from foreign languages
Know the origins of some commonly used words
© Getty Images
You've certainly already noticed that some words in the English language can sound a bit foreign, and this is actually because they are borrowed from other languages, such as French, German, and Japanese, to name a few. Wouldn't it be great to know their true meaning in their language of origin, and a bit of the history behind the terms?
Click through this gallery to discover 30 English words that are borrowed from foreign languages.
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