algorithm

Where does the word "algorithm" come from? It comes from Arabic al-Khwarizmi, passing through Medieval Latin and Old French before entering English (1690s).

Algorithm’s story begins in Arabic: al-Khwarizmi meant “native of Khwarazm; a mathematician's surname.” Literally native of Khwarazm, the surname of the mathematician Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi, whose Arabic-language treatises introduced advanced calculation methods to the West. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Medieval Latin as algorismus. A mangled transliteration of al-Khwarizmi, entering Europe through Latin translations of Arabic mathematical texts made in Spain. From there it passed into Old French as algorisme by 1200s. Carried into French for the Arabic system of calculation, later reshaped to "algorithme" by false association with Greek arithmos (number). It reached English by 1690s as algorithm. Reshaped by association with Greek 'arithmos', number; the name of the Persian mathematician al-Khwarizmi is hidden in it. Today, algorithm means a step-by-step procedure for solving a problem or performing a computation.

1. Stage 1 · Arabic · 800s al-Khwarizmi "native of Khwarazm; a mathematician's surname", literally native of Khwarazm, the surname of the mathematician Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi, whose Arabic-language treatises introduced advanced calculation methods to the West.
2. Stage 2 · Medieval Latin · medieval algorismus "the Arabic system of calculation", a mangled transliteration of al-Khwarizmi, entering Europe through Latin translations of Arabic mathematical texts made in Spain.
3. Stage 3 · Old French · 1200s algorisme "the Arabic system of calculation", carried into French for the Arabic system of calculation, later reshaped to "algorithme" by false association with Greek arithmos (number).
4. Stage 4 · English · 1690s algorithm "a step-by-step procedure for solving a problem", reshaped by association with Greek 'arithmos', number; the name of the Persian mathematician al-Khwarizmi is hidden in it.