Caffè Etymology - Origin & History

Caffè

/kæˈfeɪ/noun

A brewed beverage made from roasted coffee beans.

Did you know?The word 'caffè' traces back to the Arabic 'qahwa', which originally referred to wine, highlighting coffee's once-taboo status as a 'spirit' drink.

Etymological Timeline

9th Century

Arabic

قهوة (qahwa)

“Originally referred to 'wine' or 'intoxicating drink', signifying the allure of coffee.”

15th Century

Turkish

kahve

“Adopted from Arabic, referring to the coffee drink that became popular in the Ottoman Empire.”

17th Century

Italian

caffè

“Derived from Turkish, it signifies the drink made from roasted coffee beans, popularized in Europe.”

Modern English

English

coffee

“Borrowed from Italian 'caffè', it denotes the brewed beverage we know today.”

Explore more surprising origins

Discovering etymology...