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كُحْل · Arabic
noun · Arabic
Reading: Historical reading not established
Kohl. Kohl or pulverized antimony; al-kuḥl includes the Arabic definite article.
No secure word-specific date — Batch 05 inspected the retained lexical evidence for كُحْل (Arabic) and did not find a stronger field-specific witness. A contextual period, object history or institutional date is not substituted for a lexical witness.
Arabic reference region — Glottolog language reference point; not an origin, borrowing site or territorial boundary.
Merriam-Webster traces alcohol through New Latin and Medieval Latin, Old Spanish, and Arabic, whose source meaning concerns powdered antimony. Word History — Etymology
Arabic كُحْل (kuḥl) is a masculine noun for kohl or pulverized antimony. The entry distinguishes it from related verbs and other vocalizations. Arabic — Etymology 1.1; Noun
The source gives Arabic اَلْكُحْل, al-kuḥl, with the definite article; the underlying noun is kuḥl. English — Etymology
TLFi reports Spanish alcohol meaning antimony by 1278 and transmission of that sense into alchemical Latin. Étymol. et hist. — paragraph 1 after dates
The Latin section gives an Andalusian Arabic source and lists Old French, Middle French and Middle English among its descendants. Latin — Etymology; Descendants
The inspected entry supports the conventional transliteration kuḥl for كُحْل. Batch 05 transliteration inspection for كُحْل
Glottolog supplies the reference coordinates for Standard Arabic. LanguageTable row stan1318
alcohol · Old Spanish
Old Spanish
Reading: al-ko-ÓL
Antimony powder. Antimony or fine eye powder, in the historical Spanish account.
1278 · reported use — Reported written use; not the date of coinage or transmission.
Lexical location remains unresolved — Batch 05 inspected the retained lexical evidence for alcohol (Old Spanish) and did not find a stronger field-specific witness. The available language evidence does not license a precise lexical birthplace or reference point.
Merriam-Webster traces alcohol through New Latin and Medieval Latin, Old Spanish, and Arabic, whose source meaning concerns powdered antimony. Word History — Etymology
The English entry gives Middle English alcofol, via Middle French alcohol or Spanish alcohol, ultimately from an Arabic term transmitted in medieval medical and alchemical Latin. English — Etymology
TLFi reports Spanish alcohol meaning antimony by 1278 and transmission of that sense into alchemical Latin. Étymol. et hist. — paragraph 1 after dates
Kaźmierczak reports the early French eye-cosmetic word in fourteenth-century texts and gives Spanish mediation, with later technical sense loans from Latin. pp. 47–48, alcohol: From Spanish to French
The inspected entry supports the retained conventional reading for alcohol. Batch 05 reading inspection for alcohol
alcohol · Medieval Latin
noun · Medieval Latin
Reading: Historical reading not established
Fine powder. Kohl or another very fine powder. Later technical meanings for purified essence and wine spirit are represented separately in New Latin.
No secure word-specific date — Batch 05 inspected the retained lexical evidence for alcohol (Medieval Latin) and did not find a stronger field-specific witness. A contextual period, object history or institutional date is not substituted for a lexical witness.
Latin reference region — Glottolog language reference point; not an origin, borrowing site or territorial boundary.
Merriam-Webster traces alcohol through New Latin and Medieval Latin, Old Spanish, and Arabic, whose source meaning concerns powdered antimony. Word History — Etymology
The English entry gives Middle English alcofol, via Middle French alcohol or Spanish alcohol, ultimately from an Arabic term transmitted in medieval medical and alchemical Latin. English — Etymology
TLFi reports Spanish alcohol meaning antimony by 1278 and transmission of that sense into alchemical Latin. Étymol. et hist. — paragraph 1 after dates
The Latin entry lists medieval uses of alcohol for kohl, other finely ground powders, and distilled essence. Latin — Noun
The Latin section gives an Andalusian Arabic source and lists Old French, Middle French and Middle English among its descendants. Latin — Etymology; Descendants
TLFi describes a movement from fine pure material to distilled essence and wine spirit; it tentatively attributes a learned transfer to Paracelsus. Étymol. et hist. — 2 and final paragraph
Norri identifies Latin alcofol behind Middle English powder passages in the Chauliac translation, cited as a1425. p. 37, alcofol; Chauliac(2), fols. 295vb and 303rb; PDF p. 50
Johnson’s 1657 Latin lexicon uses alcohol vini for purified wine spirit while retaining powder-related alcohol entries. Title page (1657); pp. 12–14, Alcohol, Alcohol vini, Alcool Paracelsi and Alcol
Glottolog supplies the reference coordinates for Medieval Latin. LanguageTable row medi1250
alcohol · Middle French
Middle French
Reading: Historical reading not established
Eye powder. An eye-cosmetic powder word reported in fourteenth-century French. Its precise early witness and Spanish-versus-Latin mediation remain qualified; it is not required as a parent of Middle English alcofol.
No secure word-specific date — Batch 05 inspected the retained lexical evidence for alcohol (Middle French) and did not find a stronger field-specific witness. A contextual period, object history or institutional date is not substituted for a lexical witness.
Middle French reference region — Glottolog language reference point; not an origin, borrowing site or territorial boundary.
The English entry gives Middle English alcofol, via Middle French alcohol or Spanish alcohol, ultimately from an Arabic term transmitted in medieval medical and alchemical Latin. English — Etymology
The Latin section gives an Andalusian Arabic source and lists Old French, Middle French and Middle English among its descendants. Latin — Etymology; Descendants
TLFi brackets a later-fourteenth-century Jardin de santé citation before its sixteenth-century powder example; that early witness date is under review. Étymol. et hist. — opening bracket
Norri identifies Latin alcofol behind Middle English powder passages in the Chauliac translation, cited as a1425. p. 37, alcofol; Chauliac(2), fols. 295vb and 303rb; PDF p. 50
The scholarly Jardin de santé bibliography does not support the pilot’s fourteenth-century dating of that named witness. Éditions de la version française; Vérard and Le Noir editions
Kaźmierczak reports the early French eye-cosmetic word in fourteenth-century texts and gives Spanish mediation, with later technical sense loans from Latin. pp. 47–48, alcohol: From Spanish to French
Glottolog supplies the reference coordinates for Middle French. LanguageTable row midd1316
alcofol · Middle English
noun · Middle English
Reading: Historical reading not established
Fine powder. Fine powder, including prepared mineral or eggshell powder in the cited Chauliac translation. Norri identifies matching Latin alcofol passages; this stage does not denote ethanol.
No secure word-specific date — Batch 05 inspected the retained lexical evidence for alcofol (Middle English) and did not find a stronger field-specific witness. A contextual period, object history or institutional date is not substituted for a lexical witness.
Middle English reference region — Glottolog language reference point; not an origin, borrowing site or territorial boundary.
The English entry gives Middle English alcofol, via Middle French alcohol or Spanish alcohol, ultimately from an Arabic term transmitted in medieval medical and alchemical Latin. English — Etymology
The etymology places the Middle English alcofol stage in the fifteenth century. English — Etymology
English alcohol also has an obsolete fine-powder sense; the etymology describes its older powder meaning. English — Noun, obsolete sense; Etymology
Norri identifies Latin alcofol behind Middle English powder passages in the Chauliac translation, cited as a1425. p. 37, alcofol; Chauliac(2), fols. 295vb and 303rb; PDF p. 50
Glottolog supplies the reference coordinates for Middle English. LanguageTable row midd1317
alcohol vini · New Latin
New Latin
Reading: Historical reading not established
Purified wine spirit. Wine spirit in Johnson’s Latin lexicon of 1657, alongside older powder uses. This is a later witness to a technical sense, not its first appearance: TLFi also cites Latin alkhol vini in 1612.
1657 · Latin witness — Date of the inspected Johnson edition and this spelling/sense, not invention or transfer. No first-attestation claim.
Latin reference region — Glottolog language reference point; not an origin, borrowing site or territorial boundary.
Merriam-Webster traces alcohol through New Latin and Medieval Latin, Old Spanish, and Arabic, whose source meaning concerns powdered antimony. Word History — Etymology
TLFi describes a movement from fine pure material to distilled essence and wine spirit; it tentatively attributes a learned transfer to Paracelsus. Étymol. et hist. — 2 and final paragraph
Johnson’s 1657 Latin lexicon uses alcohol vini for purified wine spirit while retaining powder-related alcohol entries. Title page (1657); pp. 12–14, Alcohol, Alcohol vini, Alcool Paracelsi and Alcol
Antidote’s linguistic account reports the English expression alcohol of wine in the 1590 Sclopotarie. alcohol section; Sclopotarie (1590)
Glottolog supplies a reference coordinate for Latin. LanguageTable row lati1261; Name, Latitude, Longitude
alcohol · English
noun · English
Reading: AL-kə-hol
Ethanol and related uses. Ethanol, the intoxicating component of alcoholic drinks. The word also names such drinks and a wider chemical class; fine powder is an obsolete use.
1672 · ethanol sense — Merriam-Webster’s date for ethanol sense 1a only. Earlier English alcohol-of-wine expressions are separately reported; this is not a first date for every listed sense.
English reference region / Britain — Glottolog language reference point; not an origin, borrowing site or territorial boundary.
Merriam-Webster traces alcohol through New Latin and Medieval Latin, Old Spanish, and Arabic, whose source meaning concerns powdered antimony. Word History — Etymology
The English entry gives Middle English alcofol, via Middle French alcohol or Spanish alcohol, ultimately from an Arabic term transmitted in medieval medical and alchemical Latin. English — Etymology
The dictionary distinguishes ethanol, drinks containing it, and the broader hydroxyl-compound class. It reports 1672 for its ethanol sense. Noun — senses 1a, 1b and 2; Word History
English alcohol also has an obsolete fine-powder sense; the etymology describes its older powder meaning. English — Noun, obsolete sense; Etymology
A General American reading is /ˈæl.kə.hɔl/. English — Pronunciation, General American
Johnson’s 1657 Latin lexicon uses alcohol vini for purified wine spirit while retaining powder-related alcohol entries. Title page (1657); pp. 12–14, Alcohol, Alcohol vini, Alcool Paracelsi and Alcol
The later French technical senses are distinguished from initial borrowing of the eye-cosmetic word; the chemical-class extension belongs to a later scientific vocabulary. pp. 44–49, alcohol
Antidote’s linguistic account reports the English expression alcohol of wine in the 1590 Sclopotarie. alcohol section; Sclopotarie (1590)
Glottolog supplies the reference coordinates for English. LanguageTable row stan1293
kuḥl → alcohol: borrowing, documented. The Arabic ancestry is supported by TLFi and Merriam-Webster; this edge compresses Andalusian Arabic mediation. The reported 1278 date concerns the Spanish powder word, not wine spirit. Étymol. et hist. — paragraph 1 after datesWord History — Etymology
alcohol → alcohol: borrowing, qualified. Spanish mediation is explicit in TLFi and Merriam-Webster, but these are abbreviated transmission accounts, not dated transfer witnesses. The Arabic-to-Latin account remains visible. The 1278 Spanish record does not date Latin adoption. Étymol. et hist. — paragraph 1 after datesWord History — Etymology
kuḥl → alcohol: borrowing, alternative. The Latin entry names Andalusian Arabic; this alternative edge compresses that variety and does not prove that Spanish mediation was absent. Latin — Etymology; Descendants
alcohol → alcohol: borrowing, qualified. The Latin descendant list and English etymology support French mediation, without establishing its exact history. English — EtymologyLatin — Etymology; Descendants
alcohol → alcofol: borrowing, alternative. Spanish is also named as a possible source. English — Etymology
alcofol → alcohol: inheritance, alternative. Older English lexical continuity remains possible. It does not alone establish where the wine-spirit sense arose; the New Latin input is shown separately. English — EtymologyEnglish — Noun, obsolete sense; Etymology
alcohol vini → alcohol: borrowing, qualified. Merriam-Webster names New Latin as the immediate source. This selected parent represents the learned input, not proof that Johnson’s 1657 book caused the English borrowing or that older English continuity ceased. English senses: The 1590 English expression is a secondary report. Merriam-Webster’s 1672 applies to its ethanol sense; neither date is assigned to the later chemical-class sense. This context does not classify the borrowing as retention. Word History — EtymologyTitle page (1657); pp. 12–14, Alcohol, Alcohol vini, Alcool Paracelsi and Alcolalcohol section; Sclopotarie (1590)
alcohol → alcofol: borrowing, documented. Norri identifies the Latin source and aligns the Middle English powder passages with Latin originals. This route is documented for that textual evidence, without excluding other English inputs. p. 37, alcofol; Chauliac(2), fols. 295vb and 303rb; PDF p. 50
alcohol → alcohol: borrowing, alternative. Kaźmierczak treats the early French cosmetic word as Spanish-mediated; the Latin-to-French account is retained alongside it. No transfer year is established. pp. 47–48, alcohol: From Spanish to French