Etymology
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Marrano (n.)

also Marano, "a Jew or Moor in Spain who, to avoid persecution, publicly professed conversion to Christianity while privately continuing in the practices and beliefs of their old religion," 1580s, from Spanish, probably literally "pig, swine," an expression of contempt, from Arabic muharram "forbidden thing" (eating of pork is forbidden by Muslim and Jewish religious law), from haruma "was forbidden" (see harem).

Entries linking to marrano

harem (n.)

1630s, "part of a Middle Eastern house reserved for women," from Turkish harem, from Arabic haram "wives and concubines," originally "women's quarters," literally "something forbidden or kept safe," from root of harama "he guarded, forbade." From 1784 in English as "wives, female relatives and female slaves in a Middle Eastern household." The harem-skirt was introduced in fashion 1911. Harem pants attested from 1921; fashionable c. 1944. An earlier word for them (in a Middle Eastern/Balkan context) was bag-trousers (1849).

updated on November 21, 2018

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Dictionary entries near Marrano

marplot

marque

marquee

marquetry

marquis

Marrano

marriage

marriageable

married

marrow

marrowbone

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