quran

The word "Quran" entered English in the early 18th century, borrowed directly from the Arabic qurʾān, which means "recitation" or "reading." This Arabic noun originates from the verb qaraʾa, "to read, to recite." The term reflects the central role of oral recitation in the Islamic tradition, as the text was originally revealed and transmitted verbally. As a proper noun in English, it refers specifically to the holy scripture of Islam, retaining its core semantic link to the act of divine recitation.

The word "Quran" is a loanword from Arabic. It is not productively segmented into smaller morphemes in English. In its source language, it is derived from the Arabic root q-r-ʾ (ق ر أ) meaning "to read" or "to recite."