houri

Where does the word "houri" come from? It comes from Arabic haura, passing through Persian and French before entering English (1737).

Houri’s story begins in Arabic: haura meant “beautifully dark-eyed.” Meant "to be beautifully dark-eyed, like a gazelle". By medieval, the word had taken hold in Persian as huri. Developed into the name for a nymph of Paradise in Islamic tradition. From there it passed into French as houri by 1650s. Borrowed via French Orientalist writing. It reached English by 1737 as houri. Entered English literature describing beautiful nymphs of the Muslim paradise. Today, houri means a beautiful young woman, especially one of the nymphs of Paradise in Islamic tradition.

1. Stage 1 · Arabic · medieval haura "beautifully dark-eyed", meant "to be beautifully dark-eyed, like a gazelle".
2. Stage 2 · Persian · medieval huri "paradise nymph", developed into the name for a nymph of Paradise in Islamic tradition.
3. Stage 3 · French · 1650s houri "paradise nymph", borrowed via French Orientalist writing.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1737 houri "beautiful nymph of paradise", entered English literature describing beautiful nymphs of the Muslim paradise.