sufi

Where does the word "sufi" come from? It comes from Arabic suf, passing through Arabic before entering English (1580s-1650s).

Sufi’s story begins in Arabic: suf meant “wool.” Meant "wool," referring to the coarse woolen garments worn by early Muslim ascetics. Within Arabic, it grew into sufi by medieval. Literally "man of wool," naming a practitioner of Islamic mysticism. It reached English by 1580s-1650s as Sufi. Settled into English after passing through several spellings including "Sophee". Today, sufi means a practitioner of Sufism, the mystical branch of Islam.

1. Stage 1 · Arabic · medieval suf "wool", meant "wool," referring to the coarse woolen garments worn by early Muslim ascetics.
2. Stage 2 · Arabic · medieval sufi "Muslim mystic", literally "man of wool," naming a practitioner of Islamic mysticism.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1580s-1650s Sufi "member of a Muslim mystical order", settled into English after passing through several spellings including "Sophee".