Which of these words are from the Arabic language: sofa, cheetah, magazine?

Which of these words are from the Arabic language: sofa, cheetah, magazine?

• A. 1 only
• B. 3 only
• C. 1 and 2
• D. 1 and 3

Answer: (D)

Understanding word origins helps you see how English borrows from other languages. Sofa shows how Arabic roots can enter English even when the modern form comes through another language: the word travels from Arabic into Turkish and then into English, carrying the sense of a long bench or seating area. Magazine carries a similar thread: it comes to English from French magasin (storehouse) and Italian magazzino, both ultimately tracing back to Arabic makhzan, meaning a storehouse. Cheetah, on the other hand, comes from Hindi/Urdu and Sanskrit, not Arabic, so it doesn’t share that Arabic lineage. So, the words that come from Arabic are sofa and magazine, meaning the correct choice is the one that includes both.

Understanding word origins helps you see how English borrows from other languages. Sofa shows how Arabic roots can enter English even when the modern form comes through another language: the word travels from Arabic into Turkish and then into English, carrying the sense of a long bench or seating area. Magazine carries a similar thread: it comes to English from French magasin (storehouse) and Italian magazzino, both ultimately tracing back to Arabic makhzan, meaning a storehouse. Cheetah, on the other hand, comes from Hindi/Urdu and Sanskrit, not Arabic, so it doesn’t share that Arabic lineage.

So, the words that come from Arabic are sofa and magazine, meaning the correct choice is the one that includes both.