kalem

Kalem is a Turkish noun meaning pen or pencil, referring to a broad range of writing and drawing instruments, including fountain pens, ballpoints, pencils, and markers.

Etymology: The word kalem is borrowed from Arabic qalam (القلم) meaning "pen" or "reed pen," with transmission through Persian and Ottoman Turkish; the form kalem is established in Turkish lexicon by at least the early modern period.

Usage and context: In everyday Turkish, kalem denotes the instrument used to write. It also appears in compound terms and idiomatic expressions around writing or drawing. In arts and calligraphy, kalem can refer to the nib or reed pen used for traditional scripts; historical writing tools included reed quills and metal nibs.

See also: qalam.