1
Stage 1 of 4
sara'i
Persian · medieval
"palace, mansion"
meant "palace" or "inn"
2
Stage 2 of 4
saray
Turkish · medieval
"palace, court"
became the word for the Ottoman sultan's palace
3
Stage 3 of 4
seraglio
Italian · 1500s
"sultan's palace, harem"
reshaped by folk association with Italian "serrare," to lock up
4
Stage 4 of 4
seraglio
English · 1580s
"harem quarters"
entered English for the secluded women's quarters of a Muslim household or palace
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