Arabica
/ˈær.ə.bɪ.kə/noun
A coffee species native to the highlands of Ethiopia and Yemen, widely cultivated for its mild, aromatic beans.
Did you know?Arabica is named for its historical association with Arabia, where coffee culture spread into the Islamic world and then across Europe, turning a regional drink into a global ritual.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
Ἀραβία
“Arabia, the land of the Arabs”
Latin
Latin
Arabia
“Arabia”
16th-17th Century
Italian/Neo-Latin
arabica
“of Arabia; Arabian”
18th Century
English
Arabica
“a term applied to coffee associated with Arabia”
Modern English
English
arabica
“the coffee species Coffea arabica”