زورق
zawraq
The English word canoe is translated into Arabic as زورق (zawraq).
The word زورق refers to a small, long and narrow boat.
Meaning: small long and narrow boat (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Levantine Arabic, the word قايق is used to refer to a canoe.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say "the canoe", you add the definite article to the front of the word to get الزورق. The plural form of زورق is زوارق.
How do you pronounce it?
zawraq
Did you know?
- While زورق is the standard term, the word قايق used in Levantine Arabic is actually a loanword from the Greek word κάικος, which refers to a traditional fishing boat.
- Depending on the region, a زورق might be associated with the traditional 'mashoof', a narrow wooden boat used specifically in the marshes of Iraq.
- The word زورق is a linguistic traveler that migrated from Persian into Arabic, meaning it is an adopted term rather than a native Arabic root.
Examples in context
- ركبتُ زورقاً في البحيرة.rakibtu zawraqan fi al-buhayra.I rode a canoe in the lake.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries زورق, CC BY-SA 4.0.
