algebra

Where does the word "algebra" come from? It comes from Arabic al-jabr, passing through Medieval Latin and Italian before entering English (c. 1550s).

Algebra’s story begins in Arabic: al-jabr meant “reunion of broken parts.” From the title of al-Khwarizmi's treatise on equations. By c. 1100s, the word had taken hold in Medieval Latin as algebra. Entered Europe through Latin translations made in Toledo. From there it passed into Italian as algebra by c. 1400s. Also kept a folk sense of "bone-setting" for a time. It reached English by c. 1550s as algebra. From the title of al-Khwarizmi's treatise 'al-jabr', 'the reunion of broken parts'; English first used it for bone-setting. Today, algebra means the branch of mathematics using letters and symbols to represent numbers and quantities.

1. Stage 1 · Arabic · c. 820 al-jabr "reunion of broken parts", from the title of al-Khwarizmi's treatise on equations.
2. Stage 2 · Medieval Latin · c. 1100s algebra "the study of equations", entered Europe through Latin translations made in Toledo.
3. Stage 3 · Italian · c. 1400s algebra "the study of equations", also kept a folk sense of "bone-setting" for a time.
4. Stage 4 · English · c. 1550s algebra "the branch of mathematics using symbols for numbers", from the title of al-Khwarizmi's treatise 'al-jabr', 'the reunion of broken parts'; English first used it for bone-setting.