fakir

Where does the word "fakir" come from? It comes from Arabic faqir, and was adopted directly into English (1610s).

Fakir’s story begins in Arabic: faqir meant “a poor person, an ascetic.” Literally "poor person", from faqura ("he was poor"), describing an ascetic reliant on charity. It reached English by 1610s as fakir. Arabic 'poor man'; British writers applied it to Hindu yogis performing feats of endurance. Today, fakir means a Muslim or Hindu religious ascetic who lives by begging or performs feats of endurance.

1. Stage 1 · Arabic · medieval faqir "a poor person, an ascetic", literally "poor person", from faqura ("he was poor"), describing an ascetic reliant on charity.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1610s fakir "a Muslim or Hindu religious ascetic", Arabic 'poor man'; British writers applied it to Hindu yogis performing feats of endurance.