From Classical Syriac ܫܘܦܢܐ (šūp̄ānā, “friction”), which comes from the verb ܫܳܦ (šāp̄, “to file, to scrape”) corresponding to the Arabic verb شَافَ (šāfa, “to polish”), as for the handling of the grain removing the husk by rubbing, grating, polishing is characteristic. There is also Hebrew שיפון (šīp̄ōn, “oat; (later) rye”), so that formation is apparently Proto-Northwest Semitic.