Etymograph

English

soorma

Soorma comes from Hindi सुरमा ‘kohl, collyrium, soorma’, and goes back to Classical Persian سرمه.

  1. Classical Persianc. 900–presentسرمه1surma
  2. Urdumodernسرمہ1surmā‘kohl, collyrium’
  3. Hindic. 1500–presentसुरमा1surmā‘kohl, collyrium, soorma’
  4. Englishearliest quotation 1867soorma1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English soorma
  2. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1867, Transactions: Volume 5: “It is incumbent on the Mussulman that he should…”.

Earlier history not traced here. See Wiktionary.

Lineage

  1. Classical Persianc. 900–presentسرمهWiktionary, English soormasurma
  2. UrdumodernسرمہWiktionary, English soormasurmā‘kohl, collyrium’
  3. Hindic. 1500–presentसुरमाWiktionary, English soormasurmā‘kohl, collyrium, soorma’
  4. Englishearliest quotation 1867soormaWiktionary, English soorma. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1867, Transactions: Volume 5: “It is incumbent on the Mussulman that he should…”

Every English word from Classical Persian سرمه

Today it means

noun A preparation of antimony with which Muslim men historically anointed their eyelids.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “soorma”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Classical Persian سرمه / soorma

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