mashrabiyya

English

A mashrabiyya (1) in Cairo.

Alternative forms

• mashrabiya, moucharabieh, moucharaby, mouchrabieh, mushrebiyeh

Etymology

From French moucharaby, later reborrowed from its source, Arabic مَشْرَبِيَّة (mašrabiyya), from مِشْرَبَة (mišraba, “small jug”), from the water jars placed in it to provide evaporative cooling.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /məʃɹəˈbi.ə/

Noun

mashrabiyya (plural mashrabiyyas or mashrabiyya)

1. (architecture) A balcony in North Africa enclosed with carved wooden latticework. [from 19th c.]
   • 2009, Deborah Starr, Remembering Cosmopolitan Egypt, Routledge, →ISBN, page 1:

     The upper floors of the buildings bordering the street leading to the mosque feature mashrabiyya, intricate wooden lattice window screens. […] In contrast to the modest mashrabiyya overlooking the alley, on the side facing the main street, the buildings feature inviting open balconies accessed by louvered doors.

2. The latticework itself, also used to craft certain objects.
   • 1988, Robert Irwin, The Mysteries of Algiers, Dedalus, published 1993, page 123:

     And who is it who contemplates those thickly studded doors and windows covered with closely worked mashrabiyya and seriously thinks that some sort of enchantment lies beyond them?

Translations

Translations

• French: moucharabieh (fr) f
• German: Maschrabiyya f
• Italian: mashrabiyya f

Further reading

• mashrabiyya on Wikipedia.Wikipedia