Dabb
/dæb/noun
A large desert lizard of North Africa and Arabia, especially the spiny-tailed lizard of the genus Uromastyx.
Did you know?The word comes from Arabic ḍabb, the traditional name for a spiny-tailed desert lizard that was eaten in parts of pre-Islamic Arabia and is mentioned in early Islamic tradition.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Arabic
Arabic
ḍabb (ضَبّ)
“A large desert lizard, especially a spiny-tailed lizard”
Medieval Arabic
Arabic
ḍabb
“The same desert reptile, associated with the arid landscapes of Arabia”
19th Century
English
dabb
“An English borrowing used for the Arabian or North African desert lizard”
Modern English
English
dabb
“A spiny-tailed desert lizard of the genus Uromastyx”