'aljamia' originates from Arabic, specifically the word 'العجمية' (al-ʿajamiyya), where 'al-' is a definite article and 'ʿajamiyya' meant 'non-Arabic language'.

'العجمية' transformed into the Spanish word 'aljamía', and eventually became the modern English word 'aljamia'.

Initially, it meant 'non-Arabic language', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'a script for non-Arabic languages'.