List of Hebrew words of Persian origin explained

This entry lists words borrowed from Persian to Hebrew. As the Jews lived as an exiled and homecoming population for almost two centuries under the Persian Empire, many borrowed words spoken within the empire. These words stayed with Hebrew for generations and helped shape Hebrew's vocabulary for terms the Israelites weren't familiar with before living and interacting with Persians. The Persian monarch Cyrus the Great, who let the Jews' Return to Zion, is a character beloved by the Jews for his part in their history.

Botanics

• Etrog - אתרוג = A fruit, it derives from the Persian word "turung" which means "Greenish-Yellowish" (originally from Tamil language).^[1]
• Fistuk - פיסטוק = Pistachio. Comes from "pistah" in Persian.
• Limon - לימון = Lemon, in Persian it's a general name for citrus.
• Lilach - לילך = Lilac: a lighter shade of purple, and also the Hebrew name of Syringa. Derives from "nilak" in Persian.
• Pardes - פרדס = Orchard. This word was also the core for "Paradise".
• Shoshana - שושנה = Rose. From the name of the once capital of the Persian Empire, Shushan.
• Sukar - סוכר = Sugar. From the Persian word "shakar" that was borrowed from Sanskrit.

Politics

• Saris - סריס = A male servant to the monarch who was sterilised to prevent him from having any hopes of usurping the throne.
• Gizbar - גזבר = A man in-charge of the money and taxes of the local community. Comes from "ganzabara" in Persian which means: "Holder of the Treasury".

Slang

• Ashkara - אשכרה = Describe something that is transparent and "as it is". Comes from "Ashkara" in Persian which means "A known thing".

Places

• Bazar - בזאר = Market. Comes from "bāzār" in Persian.
• Duhan - דוכן = A small stage or a market stall.
• Parvar - פרוור = A suburb. In persian means a pavilion.

Others

• Amarkol - אמרכל = Title applied to a Temple trustee superintending the cashiers. From the persian word "amarkir" which means master of finance.^[2]
• Haki - חאקי = Khaki. From the Persian word "khāk" which means dust.
• Srbal - סרבל = Overalls. From the word "shalvar" in Persian which means pants.

Notes and References

1. https://www.safa-ivrit.org/imported/persian.php List of Hebrew words of Persian origin
2. AMARKOL (אמרכל; from the Persian, amarkir; Armenian, hamarakar = master of finance). Kaufmann Kohler.