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