adobe
UK[əˈdəʊbi]US[əˈdoʊbi]
n
A type of clay used for making bricks, typically mixed with straw and dried in the sun.
n
A building constructed from sun-dried clay bricks.
Etymology
The word 'adobe' entered English via Spanish colonization of the Americas, where the building material and technique were widely used. The Spanish adopted it from the Arabic 'aṭ-ṭūb' during the period of Muslim rule in the Iberian Peninsula. This Arabic term itself was likely borrowed from the Coptic language of Egypt, 'tōbe,' reflecting the ancient and widespread use of mudbrick construction. Thus, the word's journey traces a path from North Africa through the Middle East to Europe and finally to the Americas, perfectly preserving its core meaning of a sun-dried brick.
Analysis
The entire word 'adobe' is a simplex morpheme borrowed from Spanish. Its ultimate origin is the Arabic word 'aṭ-ṭūb' (الطوب), meaning "the brick," derived from Coptic 'tōbe' meaning "brick."
Examples
The historic mission was built from thick adobe walls.
They used traditional methods to form adobe bricks for the new house.
The adobe architecture helps keep the interior cool in the desert heat.