'alqueire' originates from Arabic, specifically the word 'al-qīrāṭ,' where 'al-' meant 'the' and 'qīrāṭ' meant 'carat' or 'small weight.'

'al-qīrāṭ' transformed into the Portuguese word 'alqueire,' and eventually became a unit of measurement in Portugal and Brazil.

Initially, it meant 'a small weight or measure,' but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'a unit of area.'