almohada (Spanish)
Where does "almohada" come from?
The Spanish word 'almohada' traces its roots back to the Arabic term 'miḵadda', which refers to a cushion or cheek-rest. It entered the Spanish language as a borrowing from Andalusian Arabic, reflecting the rich linguistic exchange during the medieval period. This history highlights how Spanish incorporated Middle Eastern terminology to describe common household objects.
Full etymology tree
- almohada (Spanish), 'pillow (soft cushion used to support the head)'
- borrowed مُخَدَّة (muḵadda) (Andalusian Arabic)
- inherited مِخَدَّة (miḵadda) (Arabic), 'pillow, cushion, bolster'
- derived خَدَّ (ḵadda) (Arabic), 'cheek'
- derived خَدّ (ḵadd) (Arabic), 'cheek'
- inherited مِخَدَّة (miḵadda) (Arabic), 'pillow, cushion, bolster'
- borrowed مُخَدَّة (muḵadda) (Andalusian Arabic)
Cognates and doublets
- almofada (Portuguese)
Descendants and derived words
- almohada (Hiligaynon)
- almohadilla (Spanish)
- almohadilla (Spanish)
- almohadita (Spanish)
- almohadón (Spanish)
- consultar con la almohada (Spanish)
- muerdealmohadas (Spanish)
- almowada (Tagalog)
- muhala (Tagalog)
Updated July 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris