'alcoran' originates from the Arabic word 'القرآن' (al-Qur'ān), where 'al-' is the definite article 'the' and 'Qur'ān' means 'recitation'.

'القرآن' (al-Qur'ān) was adapted into Old French as 'alcoran', and eventually became the English word 'alcoran'.

Initially, it meant 'the recitation', referring to the holy text of Islam, and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.