'arabiyeh' originates from Arabic, specifically the word 'عربية' (ʿarabiyya), where the root ʿ-r-b referred to 'Arab' or 'Arabic'.

'arabiyeh' is a modern transliteration of Arabic 'ʿarabiyya'; it entered English usage mainly through direct contact, language learning, and transliteration rather than through a long Middle English development.

Initially it meant 'Arabic' (the feminine/adjective form meaning 'Arabic' or 'Arabic language'); in some spoken dialects it also developed the separate colloquial meaning 'car' (Egyptian Arabic).