'arak' originates from Arabic, specifically the word 'ʿaraq' (عرق), where 'ʿaraq' meant 'sweat' or 'distillate'.

'arak' passed from Arabic 'ʿaraq' into Ottoman Turkish and Arabic regional usage, and was adopted into European languages (often as 'arak' or 'araq'), eventually entering modern English as 'arak'.

Initially it referred to 'sweat' or a condensed liquid (a distillate); over time the term came to denote specifically the anise‑flavored distilled spirit known today.