Koran
/kəˈrɑːn/noun
A traditional English spelling of the Qur’an, the sacred scripture of Islam.
Did you know?In Arabic, qurʾān refers to something recited aloud, reflecting the scripture’s origins in memorized and performed revelation before widespread written copies.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*q-r-ʾ
“A reconstructed root associated with calling out, reading, or reciting aloud.”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
qaraʾa
“He read or recited.”
7th Century
Arabic
qurʾān
“Recitation; the revealed scripture of Islam.”
12th–13th Century
Medieval Latin
Alcoran
“A Latinized form of the Arabic name for the Islamic scripture, incorporating Arabic al-, “the.””
13th–15th Century
Old French
Alcoran
“The Qur’an; borrowed through medieval European forms.”
16th–17th Century
English
Alcoran; Koran
“English forms used for the Islamic scripture, with Koran eventually becoming traditional in English.”
Modern English
English
Koran; Quran
“Traditional and modern transliterations of Arabic qurʾān.”