English
Soraya
Soraya comes from Classical Persian ثریا ‘brilliant gem’, and goes back to Arabic ثُرَيَّا ‘chandelier’.
- Arabicc. 500–presentثُرَيَّاṯurayyā‘chandelier’
- Classical Persianc. 900–presentثریاsurayyā‘brilliant gem’
- Iranian Persianmodernsame formsorayyâ
- Englishearliest quotation 1999Soraya
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Arabicc. 500–presentثُرَيَّاṯurayyā‘chandelier’
- Classical Persianc. 900–presentثریاsurayyā‘brilliant gem’
- Iranian Persianmodernsame formsorayyâ
- Englishearliest quotation 1999Soraya
Earliest quotation: 1999, J. M. Coetzee, Disgrace: “Lots of exotics to choose from - Malaysian, Thai,…”
Every English word from Arabic ثُرَيَّا
Today it means
name A female given name from Persian.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Arabic ثُرَيَّا / Soraya