'aljofaina' originates from Arabic, specifically the word 'al-jawfān,' where 'al-' meant 'the' and 'jawfān' meant 'basin or bowl.'

'al-jawfān' transformed into the Spanish word 'aljofaina,' and eventually became the modern English word 'aljofaina.'

Initially, it meant 'a large basin or bowl,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.