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100 Everyday English Words Borrowed from Around the World

August 12, 2026

100 Everyday English Words Borrowed from Around the World

No. Item Definition
1. adobe Spanish-derived name for sun-dried brick.
2. alcohol Arabic-derived name for intoxicating spirits.
3. algebra Arabic term for a mathematics branch.
4. anime Japanese name for animated works.
5. avocado Nahuatl-derived name for the green fruit.
6. balcony Italian-derived name for a projecting platform.
7. ballet French name for the classical dance.
8. bazaar Persian for a marketplace.
9. blitz German for a sudden intensive attack.
10. boomerang Borrowed from the Australian Dharug language.
11. boutique French for a small fashionable shop.
12. broccoli Italian name for the green vegetable.
13. bungalow Hindi-derived name for a single-story house.
14. café French for a coffee shop.
15. cafeteria Spanish-derived name for a self-service restaurant.
16. canoe Taíno-derived name for a narrow boat.
17. canyon Spanish-derived word for a deep gorge.
18. chauffeur French for a professional driver.
19. chocolate From Nahuatl for a cacao drink.
20. croissant French name for the crescent-shaped pastry.
21. cuisine French for a style of cooking.
22. décor French for a room’s decoration.
23. embargo Spanish for an official trade ban.
24. entrepreneur French for a business founder.
25. espresso Italian name for concentrated coffee.
26. faux pas French for a social blunder.
27. fiasco Italian for a complete failure.
28. fiesta Spanish for a celebration.
29. futon Japanese name for a traditional mattress.
30. garage French-derived name for a vehicle shelter.
31. graffiti Italian-derived word for public wall markings.
32. guru Sanskrit for a spiritual teacher.
33. haiku Japanese name for a short poetic form.
34. hammock Taíno-derived name for a hanging bed.
35. hamster German-derived name for the small rodent.
36. hurricane Taíno-derived name for a tropical cyclone.
37. judo Japanese name for the martial art.
38. jungle Hindi-derived word for wild terrain.
39. karaoke Japanese for singing to recorded music.
40. karate Japanese name for the unarmed martial art.
41. kimono Japanese name for a traditional robe.
42. kindergarten German for a preschool.
43. lasagna Italian name for the layered pasta dish.
44. latte Italian for milk.
45. lemon Arabic-derived name for the citrus fruit.
46. limousine French-derived name for a luxury car.
47. lingerie French for women’s intimate clothing.
48. loot Hindi-derived word for stolen goods.
49. magazine Arabic-derived word originally meaning storehouse.
50. manga Japanese name for comics.
51. massage French for therapeutic body rubbing.
52. mattress Arabic-derived name for a sleeping pad.
53. mayonnaise French name for the creamy sauce.
54. menu French for a list of dishes.
55. mosquito Spanish for little fly.
56. ninja Japanese name for a covert warrior.
57. noodle Derived from German Nudel.
58. omelet French name for the egg dish.
59. opera Italian name for musical drama.
60. origami Japanese art of paper folding.
61. pajamas Hindi-derived name for loose trousers.
62. paprika Hungarian name for the red spice.
63. patio Spanish for a courtyard.
64. piano Italian name for the musical instrument.
65. pizza Italian name for the baked dish.
66. plaza Spanish for a public square.
67. poncho Spanish-derived name for a sleeveless cloak.
68. pretzel German-derived name for the twisted bread.
69. ramen Japanese name for a noodle dish.
70. ravioli Italian name for stuffed pasta parcels.
71. rendezvous French for an arranged meeting.
72. résumé French for a summary.
73. risotto Italian name for a creamy rice dish.
74. robot Czech-derived word for an artificial worker.
75. rodeo Spanish-derived name for a livestock spectacle.
76. rucksack German for a backpack.
77. sabotage French-derived word for deliberate destruction.
78. safari Swahili for a journey.
79. sauna Finnish name for a steam bath.
80. shampoo Hindi-derived word originally meaning massage.
81. siesta Spanish for an afternoon nap.
82. souvenir French for a keepsake.
83. spaghetti Italian name for thin pasta strands.
84. sushi Japanese name for vinegared rice dishes.
85. taco Spanish name for the folded tortilla dish.
86. teriyaki Japanese name for a glazed cooking style.
87. tofu Japanese-derived name for bean curd.
88. tomato Nahuatl-derived name for the red fruit.
89. tortilla Spanish name for a thin flatbread.
90. tsunami Japanese for a large sea wave.
91. tycoon Japanese-derived word for a powerful magnate.
92. ukulele Hawaiian name for the small stringed instrument.
93. umbrella Italian-derived name for a rain shield.
94. vodka Russian-derived name for the distilled spirit.
95. waltz German-derived name for the ballroom dance.
96. wanderlust German for a strong desire to travel.
97. wasabi Japanese name for the pungent condiment.
98. yogurt Turkish name for cultured milk.
99. zero Arabic-derived word borrowed through Italian.
100. zucchini Italian name for a summer squash.

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