jerboa

Where does the word "jerboa" come from? It comes from Arabic jarbu, passing through Modern Latin before entering English (1660s).

Jerboa’s story begins in Arabic: jarbu meant “jumping desert rodent.” Literally "flesh of the loins," naming the rodent for its powerful hind legs. By 1600s, the word had taken hold in Modern Latin as jerboa. A jumping desert rodent of North Africa and Asia. It reached English by 1660s as jerboa. Entered English as the common name for the small jumping rodent. Today, jerboa means a small jumping desert rodent with long hind legs, native to North Africa and Asia.

1. Stage 1 · Arabic · medieval jarbu "jumping desert rodent", literally "flesh of the loins," naming the rodent for its powerful hind legs.
2. Stage 2 · Modern Latin · 1600s jerboa "desert rodent genus", a jumping desert rodent of North Africa and Asia.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1660s jerboa "small desert rodent", entered English as the common name for the small jumping rodent.