Naft
/næft/noun
Petroleum or crude oil, especially in historical or regional usage.
Did you know?Naft is related to naphtha, a petroleum distillate associated with ancient incendiary mixtures, including substances often discussed in connection with Greek fire.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Mesopotamia
Akkadian
napṭu
“Petroleum or bitumen-like flammable oil”
Classical Antiquity
Greek
náphtha
“A volatile, inflammable petroleum substance”
Medieval Arabic
Arabic
naft
“Petroleum, mineral oil, or an incendiary substance”
Medieval Persian
Persian
naft
“Petroleum; historically also associated with fire-producing mixtures”
17th–19th Century
English
naft
“A borrowing used for petroleum or crude oil, often in technical or regional contexts”
Modern English
English
naft
“Petroleum or crude oil, chiefly as a historical or regional term”
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