An Arabic greeting meaning 'peace', commonly used as both hello and goodbye in Muslim cultures. It can also refer to a respectful bow or gesture of greeting.
From Arabic سَلَام (salām), meaning 'peace' or 'safety', derived from the Semitic root س-ل-م (s-l-m). The word entered English in the 17th century through contact with Arabic-speaking peoples in trade and diplomatic contexts. The full traditional greeting is 'as-salāmu ʿalaykum' meaning 'peace be upon you'.
The greeting 'salaam' comes from the same root as 'Muslim' and 'Islam', showing how central the concept of peace is to Islamic culture - it's literally how people say hello to each other! This root s-l-m appears in Hebrew 'shalom' too, revealing the shared Semitic heritage of these peace-focused greetings.
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