arif

See also: Arif

Crimean Tatar

Etymology

From Persian حرف (harf), from Arabic حَرْف (ḥarf). The loss of the initial /ħ/ (in the Arabic word) or /h/ (in the Persian) is because these sounds have no close analogue in Crimean Tatar (the latter's /ɦ/ being too "soft"). The epenthetic introduction of the /i/ is because Crimean Tatar does not allow the word-final consonant cluster /rf/.

Noun

arif

1. letter (of the alphabet), character (written or printed symbol or letter)