Kaaba
/ˈkɑːbə/noun
The cube-shaped sacred shrine at the center of the Great Mosque in Mecca, toward which Muslims face in prayer.
Did you know?In Arabic, the related word kaʿb can mean an ankle or heel as well as a cube, likely referring to something projecting or rounded outward.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Islamic Arabic
Arabic
kaʿb
“Ankle, heel, or a projecting prominence; also associated with a cube-like form.”
Pre-Islamic Arabic
Arabic
kaʿbah
“A cube-shaped structure or elevated building.”
7th Century
Quranic Arabic
al-Kaʿbah
“The Kaaba, the sacred sanctuary in Mecca.”
Medieval Arabic
Arabic
al-Kaʿbah
“The central shrine of the sacred mosque in Mecca.”
17th Century
English
Caaba
“An English rendering of the Arabic name for the shrine.”
Modern English
English
Kaaba
“The sacred cube-shaped shrine in Mecca.”