Ramadan
/ˌræməˈdɑːn/noun
The ninth month of the Islamic calendar, observed by Muslims as a month of fasting, prayer, and reflection.
Did you know?The word Ramadan comes from an older Arabic root linked to intense heat and dryness, and early Arab month names were tied to the seasons before the Islamic calendar became strictly lunar.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Islamic Arabic
Arabic
ramaḍān
“A month name associated with intense heat and dryness”
Proto-Semitic
PS
*r-m-ḍ
“A root connected with scorching heat or parched ground”
7th Century
Arabic
ramaḍān
“The ninth month of the Islamic calendar”
Modern English
English
Ramadan
“The Muslim month of fasting and prayer”