arabique

Arabique is a French-language adjective and noun used to denote something relating to the Arabs or to the Arabic language. In English, the form is uncommon and tends to appear mainly in bilingual texts, translations, or as a stylistic label in scholarship, exhibitions, or literary titles that aim to convey a distinctly French framing of Arab culture.

Etymology and form: Arabique derives from the same root that gives the Latin and Greek terms for Arabia and Arabic, with the French adjective formalized by the -ique suffix. In French, arabiques and other specialized forms coexist with the more common arabo- compounds and the standalone noun arabe, but Arabique is used when a more formal or thematic emphasis on Arabic origin or character is desired, such as in compound terms.

Usage and contexts: In French-language discourse, Arabique appears in cultural, artistic, and academic writing to describe scripts, arts, or literatures associated with the Arabic world. Examples include phrases like calligraphie Arabique (Arabic calligraphy), musique Arabique (Arabic music), or littérature Arabique (Arabic literature). It may also be used in exhibition catalogues or comparative studies to foreground Arabic influences within a broader cultural context. When encountered in English, Arabique is typically as a stylistic or translational choice rather than a standard term.

See also: Arabic language, Arab, Arabesque, Francophone studies.