wasta
n.—Gloss: the Arabic word for influence, personal connections; “pull” or “juice.” Note: While not yet fully adopted as an English word, wasta is increasingly familiar to American soldiers serving in the Middle East. A previous surge in use of the term among Anglophones happened during the first Gulf War. «The vernacular has even followed the Army home: In the halls of the Pentagon, where nearly every Army officer has served at least two tours in Iraq, officers ask whether this or that official has “wasta“—Iraqi shorthand for “influence” or “pull,” though with a slightly more corrupt tinge.» —“Home Thoughts From Abroad” by Lawrence Kaplan Slate Dec. 26, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
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It’s hard to imagine now, but there was a time when people disagreed over the best word to use when answering the phone. Alexander Graham Bell suggested answering with ahoy! but Thomas Edison was partial to hello! A fascinating new book about...