'almud' originates from Arabic, specifically the word 'al-mudd', where 'al-' meant 'the' and 'mudd' referred to a specific measure of capacity.

'al-mudd' transformed into the Spanish word 'almud', and eventually became the modern English word 'almud' through historical usage in trade and commerce.

Initially, it meant 'a specific measure of capacity', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.