- NEW!
by Covoll on August 16th, 2009
It come form arabian word al-hasziszijjin which means
?? hashish eaters ??
by iwnit on November 22nd, 2009
"assassin
1530s (in Anglo-L. from mid-13c.), via Fr. and It., from Arabic hashishiyyin "hashish-users," pl. of hashishiyy, from hashish (q.v.). A fanatical Ismaili Muslim sect of the time of the Crusades, under leadership of the "Old Man of the Mountains" (translates Arabic shaik-al-jibal, name applied to Hasan ibu-al-Sabbah), with a reputation for murdering opposing leaders after intoxicating themselves by eating hashish. The pl. suffix -in was mistaken in Europe for part of the word (cf. Bedouin)."
Source and further information:
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=assassin&searchmode=none
Further information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hashshashin
by Alvin on November 22nd, 2009
Ninja Assassin! Isn't it a movie?
by Anonymous on November 22nd, 2009
It doesn't come from Hashish.
Most Islamic Scholars now prefer the more convincing etymology "assassiyun" who are faithful to the "assass", the "foundation" of the faith. They were, literally, "fundamentalists".
More info here: http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm313/Xm3buX/assassin.jpg
by legion on October 21st, 2009
really cool reference to it in Neal Stephenson's book, Quicksilver. Hashashins unite!
by Whitehair on August 16th, 2009
According to the Wikipedia it derives from the Arabic word Hashshashin and means the targeted killing of a public figure.
by Cpt. Cack on August 16th, 2009
copied and pasted from dictionary.com
Origin:
1525–35; < ML assassinī (pl.) < Ar ḥashshāshīn eaters of hashish
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Comments
Thank you Covoll.:)+6
by Bohemian is back on August 16th, 2009
True. And they were also assassins, hired murderers. The hashish was part of their payment.
by Tom 47 is back in his bear COAT on August 16th, 2009