muezzin

Where does the word "muezzin" come from? It comes from Arabic mu'adhdhin, and was adopted directly into English (1580s).

Muezzin’s story begins in Arabic: mu'adhdhin meant “one who proclaims the call to prayer.” Active participle of adhdhana, "he proclaimed," from a root meaning "ear". It reached English by 1580s as muezzin. The English spelling substituted a "z" sound for the Arabic "dh". Today, muezzin means a man who calls Muslims to prayer, traditionally from the minaret of a mosque.

1. Stage 1 · Arabic · medieval mu'adhdhin "one who proclaims the call to prayer", active participle of adhdhana, "he proclaimed," from a root meaning "ear".
2. Stage 2 · English · 1580s muezzin "mosque official who calls the prayer", the English spelling substituted a "z" sound for the Arabic "dh".