Authoritative answer
Exact answer
Coffee traveled into English through Italian caffe and Turkish kahve from Arabic qahwa.
Scope: Recorded English etymology and sense history; reviewed July 31, 2026.
Important boundary: The borrowing chain describes the word; the plant and drink have a wider material history.
Evidence
Quick answer
A short etymology card for coffee: origin, meaning history, memorable hook, and source-language context.
Source-first
Reviewed Sep 2026
Origin story
Through Turkish and Italian from Arabic qahwa, the drink that moved through trade, cafes, and empire.
Why it sticks
A word that traveled almost as well as the habit did.
Shareable cardCoffee: A word that traveled almost as well as the habit did.