Etymology Map
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Caracal

4 stages from Persian to English.

Today it means a lynx-like wild cat with long black-tufted ears

Where does the word "caracal" come from? It comes from Persian siyāh-gōsh, passing through Ottoman Turkish and French before entering English (1760s).

1
Stage 1 of 4
siyāh-gōsh
Persian · medieval
"caracal"
literally 'black ear'; the Turkish name is a translation of it
2
Stage 2 of 4
karakulak
Ottoman Turkish · medieval
"caracal"
'kara', black, plus 'kulak', ear, for the cat's black ear tufts
3
Stage 3 of 4
caracal
French · 1761
"caracal"
the naturalist Buffon shortened the Turkish name in his 'Histoire naturelle' in 1761
4
Stage 4 of 4
caracal
English · 1760s
"caracal"
borrowed from Buffon's widely translated natural history
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Read the full story

Caracal’s story begins in Persian: siyāh-gōsh meant “caracal.” Literally 'black ear'; the Turkish name is a translation of it. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Ottoman Turkish as karakulak. 'kara', black, plus 'kulak', ear, for the cat's black ear tufts. From there it passed into French as caracal by 1761. The naturalist Buffon shortened the Turkish name in his 'Histoire naturelle' in 1761. It reached English by 1760s as caracal. Borrowed from Buffon's widely translated natural history. Today, caracal means a lynx-like wild cat with long black-tufted ears.