'alhambra' originates from Arabic, specifically the word 'al-Ḥamrāʾ', where 'al-' meant 'the' and 'ḥamrāʾ' meant 'red'.

'al-Ḥamrāʾ' transformed into the Spanish word 'Alhambra', and eventually became the modern English word 'alhambra'.

Initially, it referred to the 'red fortress', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of a specific historical site in Granada.