Zahr
/zɑːr/noun
An Arabic dice game of chance.
Did you know?The Arabic word al-zahr, meaning “the die,” traveled through medieval Spain and France before becoming English hazard, transforming a gambling term into a word for danger.
Etymological Timeline
Medieval Arabic
Arabic
az-zahr
“The die or dice; a game of chance”
Medieval Arabic
Arabic
zahr
“Dice, especially in the context of gambling”
12th–13th Century
Old Spanish
azar
“Chance, an unforeseen event, or bad luck”
13th Century
Old French
hasard
“A game of dice; a risky undertaking”
14th Century
Middle English
hasard
“Risk, danger, or a game of chance”
Modern English
English
hazard
“A danger or source of risk”
Modern English
English
zahr
“An Arabic dice game of chance”