carafe
/kəˈræf/
noun
Origin
Arabic
gharafa — to scoop up or ladle
Overview
Meaning Now
- a glass container with a flared lip, used for serving water, wine, or other beverages
- a glass bottle with a stopper, often used in a laboratory setting
Literal older meaning
a bottle or container without a cap or stopper (in its original sense)
Language path
Arabic → Italian → French → English
Earliest form
carafe
Earliest period
18th century
Journey
The word traces back to the Arabic root 'gharafa', referring to the act of ladling or drawing water. Through Mediterranean trade, the term moved into Italian as 'caraffa' and subsequently into French as 'carafe', where it became associated specifically with glass serving vessels.
Evolution
- Classical Arabic
gharafa
“to ladle water”
- Arabic
gharrafa
“ladle or scoop”
Source of the Mediterranean loanwords
- Italian
caraffa
“earthenware pitcher”
- French
carafe
“glass bottle”
Adopted into French from Italian
Connections
Word parts
carafe
root
a container for liquids
Related across languages
Italian
caraffa
pitcher or decanter
Spanish
garrafa
carafe or glass bottle
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Related to carafe
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.