1
Stage 1 of 3
faqir
Arabic · medieval
"a poor person, an ascetic"
literally "poor person", describing an ascetic reliant on charity
2
Stage 2 of 3
fakir
Persian/Urdu · medieval
"a religious ascetic or beggar"
applied to wandering religious ascetics in South Asia
3
Stage 3 of 3
fakir
English · 1600s
"a Muslim or Hindu religious ascetic"
adopted through European contact with South Asian ascetics
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