Serbo-Croatian edit

Etymology 1 edit

It may be connected with Greek ἀδάμας (adámas, diamond), or come from Old French alemande.[1] Alternatively from Ottoman Turkish, from Arabic عَلَم (ʕalam, sign, token; symbol; banner).

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /ǎlem/
  • Hyphenation: а‧лем

Noun edit

а̀лем m (Latin spelling àlem)

  1. jewel, gem
Derived terms edit

Etymology 2 edit

From Ottoman Turkish عالم (âlem) (Turkish alem), from Arabic عَالَم (ʕālam, world).

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /ǎːlem/
  • Hyphenation: а‧лем

Noun edit

а́лем m (Latin spelling álem)

  1. world

References edit

  1. ^ Petar Skok, Etimologijski rječnik hrvatskoga ili srpskoga jezika, Z., 1971, v. 1, p. 28, alem: mislim da se u alem može da sakriva grčka riječ adāmas »dijamant« ... Ali treba pomišljati i na to da se može raditi o istoj riječi alemande, koja dolazi u spomenutom starofrancuskom Pelerinage-M