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Ojalá
Words
Certain: The standard etymology in the RAE dictionary and in Corriente; no serious doubt.Plants & animals · Common

alfalfa

alfalfa (fodder plant for livestock)planta forrajera para el ganado

Comes from Arabic

الفِصْفِصَة

al-fiṣfiṣa

“the alfalfa”«la alfalfa»

In Andalusi Arabic: الفَصْفَصَة al-faṣfaṣa

Arabic today says

بِرْسِيم حِجَازِيّ

birsīm ḥijāzī

The article

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

Arabic itself had taken it from Persian.

The story

From Persian aspast via Andalusi al-faṣfaṣa. The second ṣ was lost, leaving alfalfa.Del persa aspast a través del andalusí al-faṣfaṣa. La segunda ṣ se perdió y quedó alfalfa.

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