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Ojalá
Words
Certain: The standard etymology in the RAE dictionary and in Corriente; no serious doubt.Science & games · Specialized

alcanfor

camphor — an aromatic substance used in medicine and against mothssustancia aromática usada en medicina y contra la polilla

Comes from Arabic

الكَافُور

al-kāfūr

“camphor”«el alcanfor»

Arabic today says

كَافُور

kāfūr

And it still does

The article

Spanish kept the Arabic article al- glued to the word.

Arabic itself had taken it from Sanskrit.

The story

From Sanskrit karpūra, via Persian. The n in alcanfor was added in Romance; in Arabic it is still كافور, and the Qur'an names it as a scent of paradise.Del sánscrito karpūra, por el persa. La n de alcanfor es un añadido del romance; en árabe sigue siendo كافور, y el Corán lo nombra como aroma del paraíso.

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