almanac

Where does the word "almanac" come from? It comes from Arabic al-manakh, passing through Medieval Latin before entering English (medieval).

Almanac’s story begins in Arabic: al-manakh meant “a calendar of celestial events.” Possibly referring to climate or a yearly calendar of the stars. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Medieval Latin as almanachus. Roger Bacon used the word in the 1260s for astronomical tables; its Arabic origin is still debated. It reached English by medieval as almanac. First recorded around 1392 in 'The Equatorie of the Planetis', an English astronomical treatise sometimes attributed to Chaucer. Today, almanac means an annual publication with calendars, weather forecasts, and other data.

1. Stage 1 · Arabic · medieval al-manakh "a calendar of celestial events", possibly referring to climate or a yearly calendar of the stars.
2. Stage 2 · Medieval Latin · medieval almanachus "a yearly calendar", Roger Bacon used the word in the 1260s for astronomical tables; its Arabic origin is still debated.
3. Stage 3 · English · medieval almanac "an annual book of tables and forecasts", first recorded around 1392 in 'The Equatorie of the Planetis', an English astronomical treatise sometimes attributed to Chaucer.