Which of the following English words has its origins in ancient Arabic?

The word 'admiral', meaning 'commander of the sea', comes from the Medieval Latin word 'admiralis', which in turn evolved from Arabic. Combining the Arabic words 'amir', meaning 'commander', 'al' (the), and the word 'bahr' for 'sea', the title 'amir-al bahr' (commander of the sea) was gradually shortened to 'amiral' by Europeans. 'Arabic-English Lexicon', written by Edward William Lane (1801-1876), states that 'amir' also meant 'having, holding, or possessing, command; a commander; a governor; a lord; a prince, or king.'

Most Arabic speaking countries contain desert areas and are not generally known for their proximity to the sea. The title 'amir-al bahr' arose after the expansion of Islam to other countries, such as the island of Sicily in the Mediterranean. The Latinised version of the name (admirallus) was first adopted by Sicilian sailors and gradually spread throughout western Europe.

Arabic is one of the oldest languages in the world and is the origin of many English words, including coffee, algebra and sofa. In the early 8th century, Arabs invaded and took control of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal), bringing their language with them. Eventually, Arabic dialects merged with Latin, which was the language spoken by natives.

Today, an admiral is one of the highest ranks in the navy, coming above vice admiral but below admiral of the fleet. It is the equivalent of a general in the army.