cafe

Where does the word "cafe" come from? It comes from Arabic qahwah, passing through Ottoman Turkish, Italian and French before entering English (1802).

Cafe’s story begins in Arabic: qahwah meant “coffee.” The word for coffee, possibly linked to a word for wine or to the Kaffa region of Ethiopia. By 1530s, the word had taken hold in Ottoman Turkish as kahveh. The beverage and its name reached the Ottoman court and spread through its coffeehouses. From there it passed into Italian as caffe by 1615. Introduced to Venice as part of the growing coffee trade. French picked it up next, as cafe, around 1650s. Came to mean both the drink and the establishment serving it, after Europe's first cafes opened. It reached English by 1802 as cafe. Entered English specifically for the coffeehouse or small restaurant, distinct from "coffee" itself. Today, cafe means a small restaurant or coffeehouse serving light meals and drinks.

1. Stage 1 · Arabic · medieval qahwah "coffee", the word for coffee, possibly linked to a word for wine or to the Kaffa region of Ethiopia.
2. Stage 2 · Ottoman Turkish · 1530s kahveh "coffee, coffeehouse", the beverage and its name reached the Ottoman court and spread through its coffeehouses.
3. Stage 3 · Italian · 1615 caffe "coffee", introduced to Venice as part of the growing coffee trade.
4. Stage 4 · French · 1650s cafe "coffee, coffeehouse", came to mean both the drink and the establishment serving it, after Europe's first cafes opened.
5. Stage 5 · English · 1802 cafe "coffeehouse, small restaurant", entered English specifically for the coffeehouse or small restaurant, distinct from "coffee" itself.