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Random Lebanese Words and Where They Came From
There are so many words we use derived from Arabic, English, or French, but oftentimes, we struggle to figure out where some words actually came from. Here are a few random Lebanese words that we use every day and where they came from.
1. T3awa2
Often used to refer to someone delayed when doing something, it’s derived from the Syriac word et’aouaq. Originally meaning “to pass, go beyond, or be overdue,” the word’s meaning gradually narrowed over time to specifically refer to being late or delayed.
2. Wawa
Wawa (واوا) is the word many parents use with young children to describe a cut, bruise, or anything that hurts. It comes from the Syriac (Aramaic) word wawo (ܘܰܘܳܐ), which means “pain” or “ouch.” Despite centuries of linguistic change, the word has remained part of the Levantine dialect as a gentle, comforting way to talk about pain.
Because the “w” sound is a bilabial sound (produced using both lips) and is among the easier sounds for young children to pronounce, the word became associated with baby talk over time because it mimicked the sound a baby made when it cried.
It was also popularized by the Lebanese icon Haifa Wehbe:
3. Eno
The Lebanese filler word that no one knows how to properly define. Unlike the American “uhs” and “ums,” eno actually comes from real words. It comes from the formal Arabic word “anna-hu” (أنّه), which is made up of “anna” (أنّ) meaning “that” and “-hu” (ـهُ) meaning “it” or “him.”
Over time, Levantine speakers simplified the pronunciation, turning anna-hu into the smoother, everyday eno used in Lebanese conversations.
4. Anything ending with -ji
The -ji suffix that we use to refer to professions, such as dekkanji, khodarji, or kahrabji, was inherited from Ottoman Turkish.
In Turkish, the suffix -ci (or -cı, -cu, -cü) is attached to a noun to mean “a person who works with or is defined by” that noun. During the centuries of Ottoman rule in the Levant, Lebanese speakers fully integrated this rule into their dialect.
5. Zamat
A funny Lebanese expression for getting away from a difficult situation or escaping at the last minute (like “zamatna men l-za7me”).
Zamat comes from an old Syriac expression, “zamaṭ brīshū,” meaning “he escaped by his feathers.” Similar to the English phrase “by the skin of his teeth,” the original expression faded over time. However, zamat remained in Lebanese Arabic as a verb meaning to slip away or escape.
6. Shu?
The Lebanese word everyone uses, but where does it come from exactly?
“Shu” is believed to have evolved from the Classical Arabic phrase “ayyu shay’in huwa” (أيّ شيءٍ هو), meaning “which thing is it?” Over centuries of everyday speech, the phrase became shorter and easier to pronounce. It eventually transformed into the simple shu we use today.
7. Lesh?
Just like “shu”, the word “lesh” also evolved from a Classical Arabic phrase: Li-ayyi shay’in (لأيّ شيءٍ). In Classical Arabic, if you wanted to ask why something happened, you would literally ask, “For what thing?”
Over time, the li- (for) and ayyi shay’in (what thing) melted together. The “shay2” compressed into a sharp “sh” sound at the end, turning a three-word formal inquiry into the snappy Lebanese word lesh.
Did we miss any Lebanese words with interesting etymology? Let us know!
