* Swahili comes from the Arabic word sawāḥilī, meaning "of the coast". It refers to the Bantu language spoken along the East African coast.
* Sahel comes from the Arabic word sāḥil, meaning "coast" or "shore". It refers to the semi-arid region south of the Sahara Desert in Africa.
So, while they have different meanings, both words share a common Arabic root related to coastal areas.