Kayf
/keɪf/noun
A state of pleasurable relaxation or contentment, especially one associated with hashish intoxication.
Did you know?In Arabic and Ottoman usage, kayf could describe both ordinary pleasurable ease and the euphoric state associated with hashish, making it a rare word where mood and intoxication overlap.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Arabic
Arabic
kayf (كَيْف)
“How; manner, condition, mood, or pleasurable state”
Medieval Arabic
Arabic
kayf
“Pleasure, well-being, or a state of agreeable ease”
Ottoman Period
Ottoman Turkish
keyif
“Pleasure, enjoyment, comfort, or relaxed contentment”
18th–19th Century
English
kaif / keif
“A state of pleasurable relaxation, often specifically associated with hashish”
19th Century
English
kayf
“Pleasurable languor or intoxicated bliss”
Modern English
English
kayf
“Relaxed pleasure or contentment, especially in a hashish-related context”