Nargileh
/ˈnɑːrɡɪlə/noun
A hookah or water pipe, especially one associated with Turkish and Middle Eastern usage.
Did you know?The name arose because early water pipes were associated with coconut shells, which could serve as the pipe’s body or water chamber.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Sanskrit
Sanskrit
nārikeḷa
“Coconut”
Medieval Indo-Aryan
Prakrit
nārikela
“Coconut; a form transmitted through South Asian trade languages”
Medieval Arabic
Arabic
nārijīla
“Coconut; the source of the Arabic name for the fruit”
Medieval Persian
Persian
nārgīl
“Coconut; also used in the developing name of the pipe”
17th Century
Ottoman Turkish
nargile
“A water pipe, named through association with the coconut”
Modern English
English
nargileh
“A hookah or water pipe”