Mid 19th century (in an earlier sense). Originally from French moucharaby window projecting outside, closed with a wooden mesh, moucharabieh; subsequently reborrowed from its etymon Arabic mašrabiyya from mašraba (colloquial pronunciation of mišraba small jug or pitcher from šariba to drink) + -iyya, suffix. The balcony was so called because porous jugs were placed there for the purpose of cooling the water by evaporation.