Mussulman
/ˈmʌsəlmən/noun
An archaic English word for a Muslim, especially in older historical or literary usage.
Did you know?English got *Mussulman* through French and Persian from Arabic *muslim*, and the form reflects how foreign words were reshaped by medieval scribes long before modern “correct” spellings existed.
Etymological Timeline
Arabic
Arabic
muslim
“one who submits to God; a Muslim”
Persian
Persian
mūsulmān
“a Muslim”
Old French
Old French
mussulman
“a Muslim”
16th–19th Century
English
mussulman
“a Muslim; now archaic or historical”
Modern English
English
Mussulman
“archaic term for a Muslim”