The word 'quinine' originally came from Quechua (Inca) as 'kina-kina'

'Quinine' is a word borrowed from Quechua (Inca) 'kina-kina'. The word entered the English language some time around 1825.

quinine [noun] [1825]

• a bitter crystalline alkaloid CHNO from cinchona bark used in medicine
• a salt of quinine used especially as an antipyretic, antimalarial, and bitter tonic

Meaning: a bitter crystalline alkaloid C 20 H 24 N 2 O 2 from cinchona bark used in medicine; a salt of quinine used especially as an antipyretic; antimalarial; and bitter tonic.

Etymology: Spanish quina cinchona; from Quechua kina bark.

Topics: Medicine:Remedies.

Origin: From French to Spanish to English.

note: Derived from French which took it from the Spanish quina or quinina based on the Quechua (Inca language) word kina-kina used to describe the bark of the Cinchona tree which is a source of the antimalarial drug.

See 'quinine' on the Loan Words Map

See more loan words from Quechua (Inca).

See more loan words from 1800s.