1
Stage 1 of 5
rabata
Arabic · medieval
"to bind, tie"
meant "to bind, to tie"
2
Stage 2 of 5
murabit
Arabic · medieval
"religious hermit, ascetic"
literally "one who is bound/stationed," a hermit or ascetic living in a fortified religious outpost
3
Stage 3 of 5
marabuto
Portuguese · 1500s
"Muslim holy man"
adopted through Portuguese contact with North Africa
4
Stage 4 of 5
marabout
French · 1600s
"Muslim holy man, shrine"
spread through French colonial contact in North and West Africa
5
Stage 5 of 5
marabout
English · 1600s
"Muslim holy man or hermit"
entered English describing revered Muslim religious teachers and their shrines in North Africa
Drag to pan · scroll to zoom