rook

Where does the word "rook" come from? It comes from Persian rukh, passing through Arabic, Medieval Latin and Old French before entering English (1300s).

Rook’s story begins in Persian: rukh meant “a chariot.” A chariot, one of the pieces in the ancient game of chess; the exact meaning of the original term is uncertain. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Arabic as rukhkh. Persian 'rukh', chariot, the original form of the chess piece. From there it passed into Medieval Latin as rocus by medieval. Carried into Medieval Latin from Arabic as chess spread into Europe. Old French picked it up next, as roc, around medieval. Carried into French chess vocabulary from Medieval Latin. It reached English by 1300s as rook. Settled as the English name for the chess piece shaped like a tower, from Old French roc. Today, rook means a chess piece, also called a castle, that moves horizontally or vertically.

1. Stage 1 · Persian · medieval rukh "a chariot", a chariot, one of the pieces in the ancient game of chess; the exact meaning of the original term is uncertain.
2. Stage 2 · Arabic · medieval rukhkh "the rook chess piece", Persian 'rukh', chariot, the original form of the chess piece.
3. Stage 3 · Medieval Latin · medieval rocus "the rook chess piece", carried into Medieval Latin from Arabic as chess spread into Europe.
4. Stage 4 · Old French · medieval roc "the rook chess piece", carried into French chess vocabulary from Medieval Latin.
5. Stage 5 · English · 1300s rook "a chess piece moving in straight lines", settled as the English name for the chess piece shaped like a tower, from Old French roc.