alcove

Where does the word "alcove" come from? It comes from Arabic al-qubba, passing through Spanish and French before entering English (1600s).

Alcove’s story begins in Arabic: al-qubba meant “vault, dome.” Literally "the vault" or "the dome". By medieval, the word had taken hold in Spanish as alcoba. Came to mean a recessed sleeping chamber. From there it passed into French as alcôve by 1600s. Adopted for a recessed nook within a larger room. It reached English by 1600s as alcove. The fashion for bed-alcoves in Parisian houses brought the word into English architecture. Today, alcove means a recessed section of a room, or a small recessed space.

1. Stage 1 · Arabic · medieval al-qubba "vault, dome", literally "the vault" or "the dome".
2. Stage 2 · Spanish · medieval alcoba "a bedroom, recessed chamber", came to mean a recessed sleeping chamber.
3. Stage 3 · French · 1600s alcôve "a recessed section of a room", adopted for a recessed nook within a larger room.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1600s alcove "a recessed section of a room", the fashion for bed-alcoves in Parisian houses brought the word into English architecture.