1
Stage 1 of 3
qasba
North African Arabic · medieval
"fortress, citadel"
named the fortified citadel at the center of a city
2
Stage 2 of 3
casbah
French · 1738
"old fortified quarter"
borrowed during French contact with North Africa
3
Stage 3 of 3
casbah / kasbah
English · 1738
"old walled city quarter"
adopted to describe the old citadel districts of North African cities
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