Chapter MARGOSA to MARTINGALE of M by The Hobson Jobson Dictionary

[But see his Concise Dict., where he inclines to the view given in this article, and adds: “I find Arab. rataka given by Richardson as a verbal root, whence ratak, going with a short quick step.”] But there is a Span. word al-martaga, for a kind of bridle, which Urrea quoted by Dozy derives from verb Arab. rataka, “qui, à la IVe forme signifie ‘effecit ut brevibus assibus incederet.’ ” This is precisely the effect of a martingale. And we venture to say that probably the word bore its English meaning originally also in French and Spanish, and came from Arabic direct into the latter tongue. Dozy himself, we should add, is inclined to derive the Span. word from al-mirta’a, ‘a halter.’