English has borrowed numerous words from other languages, incorporating them into its lexicon with little to no modification. These borrowed words, known as loanwords, reflect the evolution of the language over time. Some of these loanwords have become so deeply integrated into English that you might not even realize their foreign origins.
What Are Loanwords?
A loanword is a word taken from one language (the donor language) and integrated into another (the recipient language). They may be adopted as they are or modified slightly to the recipient language’s conventions, but are still traceable to the donor language.
Loanwords aren’t specific to the English language. In its ongoing evolution, every language naturally absorbs elements from the cultures with which its speakers regularly engage.
Even the term “loanword” is borrowed. It comes from the German Lehnwort, which translates to the same thing. This literal translation is called a loan translation or calque (from the French word calquer or “to copy”).
Linguists do admit that the term is flawed. It’s quite unlikely for a borrowed word to be given back to its donor language.
Loanwords are also different from cognates—sets of words that share the same origin. An example is night, notte (Italian), nacht (German), noche (Spanish), niut (French), natt (Swedish, Norwegian), and noc (Polish, Czech, and Slovak).
Loanwords in the English Language
Here is a list of words you may or may not know are borrowed from an assortment of languages.
1. Avatar
Origin: Sanskrit, avatāra
Avatar means the incarnation of a god which closely fits the original word’s meaning, referring to the descent of a deity to the earth. Nowadays, avatar is also often used to mean the digital representation of a person in computing or video games.
Examples:
- He took a while to customize his in-game avatar.
- Some religions believe that gods visit the earth in the form of avatars.
2. Déjà vu
Origin: French, déjà vu
In both French and English, déjà vu is the sensation that you’ve lived a certain moment even if you haven’t.
Examples:
- I constantly experience déjà vu in familiar settings.
- Did I already do this? Man, talk about déjà vu.
3. Safari
Origins: Swahili, safari; Arabic (safar)
In Swahili, safari is the word used for any type of travel. Safiri is its verb form. In English, safari means an expedition into an undeveloped area to observe or hunt wild animals, especially in Eastern Africa. It can also mean the actual caravan going into said safari.
Examples:
- Plenty of companies offer safari tours with different add-ons.
- We’re going on a safari in Kenya.
4. Angst
Origin: German, Angst
In English, angst is the feeling of anxiety, dread, or insecurity which is similar to its German meaning, “neurotic fear, anxiety, guilt, remorse”.
Examples:
- I wonder why many adults refuse to believe in the existence of teenage angst.
- A person with angst is often moody and irritable.
5. Drama
Origin: Greek, drâma
In English, drama can be a specific type of literature or a situation with interesting or intense conflict. Its Greek origin is pronounced the same way and means “action, deed; play, spectacle.”
Examples:
- We’re watching a drama on the weekend.
- I don’t have time for your drama.
6. Cigar
Origin: Spanish, cigarro
A cigar is a cylindrical roll of tobacco meant for smoking. The Spanish cigarro’s origin is unclear, possibly from the Mayan word sicar (to smoke rolled tobacco leaves) or the Spanish word cigarra (grasshopper, cicada) due to its shape.
Examples:
- Most young smokers have cigarettes instead of cigars.
- My grandpa always has a cigar in his mouth.
7. Duo
Origin: Italian, duo
Both English and Italian use duo to mean “two”, though Italian mostly uses it in the context of two performers.
Examples:
- They once called us the problem duo because we kept getting into trouble.
- She and her sister make quite the singing duo.
8. Tornado
Origin: Spanish, tronada
A tornado is a violent, rotating column of air. The Spanish tronada means “thunderstorm”. The transposition of the r and o are influenced by the Spanish tornar, meaning “to twist or turn.”
Examples:
- The tornado ripped out the neighbor’s roof.
- Dad made the basement extra sturdy in case of tornadoes.
9. Cartoon
Origin: Italian, cartone
A cartoon is a drawing meant for satire or humor. It can also mean a preliminary sketch written on a strong or hard paper. The Italian cartone refers to a strong, heavy paper or pasteboard.
Examples:
- As a kid, I’d often wait for cartoons to play on the TV during the weekends.
- Plenty of people have been offended by satirical cartoons that criticized them.
10. Cookie
Origin: Dutch, koekie or koekje
A cookie is a baked snack that is typically small, flat, and sweet. The Dutch kookie (little cake) is the diminutive form of koek (cake).
Examples:
- He loves baking chocolate chip cookies for the holidays.
- Girl Scout cookies are popular and usually sold door-to-door.
11. Ketchup
Origin: Malay, kecap; Chinese, kê-chiap
Ketchup is a sweet and sour condiment made from tomatoes, though early recipes were made from a variety of ingredients including mushrooms, mussels, and grapes. Its origin word is uncertain though it’s probably from the Chinese kê-chiap and introduced to English via the Malay kecap. Both mean fish sauce.
Examples:
- Ketchup is the usual condiment for fries.
- A running joke is that ketchup and tomato sauce are the same thing.
12. Boondocks
Origin: Tagalog, bundok
Boondocks mean a remote, wild, or thinly settled area. Some people shorten this word to boonies. It comes from the Tagalog word bundok, meaning mountain though is also sometimes used to denote the wilderness.
Examples:
- Boondockers are a military slang for field boots.
- They got lost in the boondocks with no way to radio for help.
13. Genre
Origin: French, genre
In English, a genre is a category of music, art, or literature that is characterized by a particular style. The French genre directly translates to “gender” or “kind”.
Example:
- Her favorite music genres are rock, jazz, and pop.
- A lot of writers often specialize in one genre.
14. Chocolate
Origin: Spanish via Nahuatl, chocolātl
Chocolate is a popular type of food that comes from ground and roasted cacao beans. In its original language, it was used to describe a beverage made by heating cacao with water or milk.
Example:
- Almost every culture enjoys chocolate in many forms.
- Chocolate is seen as a romantic gift, particularly during Valentine’s Day.
15. Klutz
Origin: Yiddish, klots
Klutz is commonly used to describe a clumsy person. It comes from the Yiddish klots, which translates to “wooden beam”.
Example:
- She’s always been a klutz, even when we were kids.
- I’m a clutz on the dance floor.
Why Borrow from Other Languages?
There are a few reasons why loanwords exist. Perhaps the simplest reason is the need to describe new things that aren’t native to your language.
Imagine if the concept of a tree is completely foreign to you. You wouldn’t need a word to describe it. However, if you were to encounter a tree in a new place, the straightforward way to name it would be to adopt the local term used by the people in that area.
Languages are also shaped by their history and the mixing of cultures. For example, Vikings often traveled to the British Isles during the 8th and 11th centuries. They brought Old Norse with them, which began mixing with Old English. It’s how we have the words berserk (berserkr), anger (angr), law (lag), club (klubba), ugly (uggligr), and more.
Then there’s borrowing for the sake of prestige. Referred to as a “luxury loan,” English occasionally borrows words from other languages even when it has suitable equivalents already in use.
Pork and beef (from the French porc and boeuf) were adapted to English this way. At the time, French had a higher social status than English, leading to a preference for French words.
Regardless of the reason, loanwords enrich a language’s vocabulary. The more it evolves its users’ needs and wants, the more it becomes expressive and efficient. It’s simply your language adapting to changing circumstances.
What other loanwords do you know? Share them in the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- 10 Weird Sentences in The English Language
- 100 Most Commonly Misspelled Words in the English Language
- Common Greek Roots to Boost Your Language Skills and Expand Your Vocabulary
- How to Learn a New Language: 8 Tips for Faster Fluency
Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!
