What does zeriba mean?
Zeriba is a chiefly Moroccan Arabic loanword used in English as a noun for a bowl or dish employed to collect alms. A person seeking money, food, or other donations may carry it openly, so the vessel is closely associated with begging and mendicancy in cultural references. In a Moroccan setting, calling an ordinary dish a zeriba identifies its particular social function and may carry stronger implications than the neutral phrase “alms bowl.” The word is useful when discussing Moroccan practices, charitable collections, or the public presentation of need. It is not a general synonym for any container or dish, nor is it normally used as a verb. Outside contexts that explain the regional borrowing, it is likely to sound unusual to many English speakers. The standard regular plural is zeribas.
nounA bowl or dish used to collect alms, especially one carried by a beggar or mendicant in Morocco.
- A bowl or dish used to collect alms in Morocco.
"The mendicant carried a zeriba through the market, collecting coins from passers-by."
"He held out his zeriba and waited quietly for donations."
"The charity workers carried zeribas through the market during the collection."
The standard plural is zeribas.
"Several zeribas were distributed to volunteers for the collection."
In Moroccan usage, the zeriba is the begging bowl: an empty vessel turned into an open request for charity.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of zeriba
The English noun is borrowed from Moroccan Arabic زريبة (zarība), a term for a bowl used to collect alms. Its English sense follows the Arabic usage while retaining the word's strong association with Moroccan culture. Standard English forms are limited to the regular plural zeribas, with no common productive derivatives.
How zeriba is actually used
Chiefly a Moroccan Arabic loanword describing a specific vessel used for soliciting alms. It is uncommon outside regional or cultural references and should not be used as a general word for any bowl or dish.