Hanout
/ħaːˈnuːt/noun
A small shop or neighborhood store, especially in Morocco and other parts of North Africa.
Did you know?The famous Moroccan spice blend ras el hanout literally means “head of the shop,” referring to the shopkeeper’s premier or best spice mixture.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Near East
Proto-Semitic?
*ḥanūt-
“A reconstructed term associated with a shop or place of trade; the exact earliest form is uncertain.”
Biblical and Second-Temple Period
Hebrew
חֲנוּת (ḥanūt)
“A shop or commercial place.”
Late Antiquity
Aramaic/Syriac
ܚܢܘܬܐ (ḥānūṯā)
“A shop, store, or place of business.”
Medieval Period
Arabic
حانوت (ḥānūt)
“A shop or store, particularly a small commercial establishment.”
Modern English
English
hanout
“A small neighborhood shop, especially in North African contexts.”