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A post shared on Facebook claims the word alcohol derived from the Arabic word al-kuhl, meaning body-eating spirit. Verdict: Misleading While the word alcohol is derived from the Arabic word al-kuhl, the word does not mean body-eating spirits. Fact Check: The Facebook post claims that the word alcohol originates from the Arabic term al-kuhl, which it alleges means body-eating spirit. The post also claims the word kuhl stems from the word ghoul, which means an evil demon that is used to corrupt and feed off human bodies, specifically children and stolen corpses, according to the post. While alcohol is derived from the Arabic word, al-kuhl, according to the Online Etymology Dictionary , there is no evidence the phrase has any relation to body-eating spirits The word has roots in both Medieval Latin and Arabic, the dictionary lists. Al- is listed as the definite article for the word the, while kohl is described as the fine metallic powder used to darken the eyelids, according to the dictionary. There is notably no mention of any body-eating spirits. The word ghoul has no correlation to the word kuhl or alcohol, though it does derive from the Arabic word ghul, which means demon, according to the dictionary . (RELATED: Does Astrazeneca Mean ‘Weapon That Kills’?) In an article published by German outlet Deutsche Welle titled From alcohol to sugar: Words with Arabic roots, German philologist Andreas Unger explains the word kuhl as a kind of powdered eyeliner made via an extraction or distillation process from natural minerals. The article also fails to mention any connection to body-eating spirits or demons. Taoufik Ben-Amor , a senior lecturer in Arabic Studies at Columbia University, told Check Your Fact via email that he claim shared on Facebook is incorrect. The root for Al-KuHul is K-H-L (with a soft H) الكحول, whereas Ghoul is from GH-W-L غول, he explained.
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