Muhabbat
/mʊˈhʌbət/noun
Love, affection, or deep emotional attachment, especially in South Asian English and related languages.
Did you know?Muhabbat ultimately comes from Arabic ḥ-b-b, the same root behind habīb, meaning “beloved,” a word preserved in expressions such as habibi.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Arabic
Arabic
ḥ-b-b
“A root associated with love, affection, and being beloved”
Early Arabic
Arabic
maḥabba
“Love, affection, or fondness”
Medieval period
Persian
maḥabbat
“Love, devotion, or affection”
Medieval to Early Modern period
Urdu
muhabbat
“Love or deep attachment”
Modern English
English
muhabbat
“A South Asian loanword meaning love or affection”