Hammam
/həˈmæm/noun
A public bathhouse, especially one modeled on the traditional baths of the Middle East or North Africa.
Did you know?The Arabic word ḥammām comes from the same root associated with heat, making the bathhouse literally a place of warmth rather than simply a place to wash.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*ḥmm
“To be hot or warm; a reconstructed Semitic root associated with heat.”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
ḥammāma
“He heated or warmed; a verbal form derived from the root ḥ-m-m.”
Medieval Arabic
Arabic
ḥammām
“A bathhouse or heated bathing place.”
12th–13th Century
Arabic / European languages
ḥammām
“A public bathhouse encountered through Islamic cities and travel accounts.”
19th Century
English
hammam
“A Turkish or Middle Eastern public bath.”
Modern English
English
hammam
“A traditional Middle Eastern or North African bathhouse, often featuring heated rooms and ritual bathing.”