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Giaour

3 stages from Persian to English.

Today it means an old term, used historically by Turks, for a non-Muslim, especially a Christian

Where does the word "giaour" come from? It comes from Persian gabr / gaur, passing through Turkish before entering English (1560s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
gabr / gaur
Persian · medieval
"non-Muslim, infidel"
originally meant "infidel, fire-worshipper," applied to Zoroastrians
2
Stage 2 of 3
giaur
Turkish · medieval
"non-Muslim"
broadened to a common Ottoman term for non-Muslims, especially Christians
3
Stage 3 of 3
giaour
English · 1560s
"non-Muslim, infidel"
entered English literature, notably in Byron's 1813 poem "The Giaour"
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