Araq
/ˈɑː.rɑːk/noun
A distilled alcoholic spirit, especially one traditionally made in the Middle East from grapes and flavored with anise.
Did you know?The word comes from Arabic ʿaraq, “sweat,” describing the droplets produced during distillation; related spirit names traveled through Arabic, Persian, Turkish, and Southeast Asian trade routes.
Etymological Timeline
Early Semitic
Proto-Semitic
ʿ-r-q
“A root associated with sweat or perspiration”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
ʿaraq (عرق)
“Sweat; a liquid exuded or distilled from something”
Medieval Period
Arabic
ʿaraq
“Distilled spirit, especially liquor produced through distillation”
Medieval–Early Modern Period
Persian/Turkish
araq / rakı
“Distilled alcoholic drink; forms spread through Middle Eastern trade and drinking culture”
16th–17th Century
Malay/Portuguese
arrack
“A distilled spirit, with the Arabic term entering European trade vocabulary through Asian routes”
Modern English
English
araq
“A Middle Eastern anise-flavored distilled spirit”