Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Recursion

(56,582 posts)
Mon Mar 23, 2015, 07:22 AM Mar 2015

English words of Indian origin

By no means exhaustive:

Anaconda from Tamil anai-kondra, elephant killer

Aryan via Latin Ariana via Greek Ἀ??ί? via Sanskrit आर्य (this one has had some bad press in recent decades)

Atoll via Maldivian އަތޮޅު perhaps ultimately from Sanskrit अन्तला

Aubergine via French aubergine via Catalan alberginera via Arabic باذِنْجان via Persian بادنجان via Sansrkit वातिगगम

Avatar from Sanskrit अवतार, "lowering"

Bandana from Sanskrit बन्धन, "bond"

Banyan via Sanskrit वणिज्?, "merchant" (merchants congregated under banyan trees?)

Beryl via Old French beryl, via Latin beryllus, via Greek ?ή??????, via prakrit वेलुरिय, via Sanskrit वैडूर्य, probably ultimately of Dravidian origin

Catamaran from Tamil கட்டுமரம், "tied wood"

Cheetah from Sanskrit चित्रस, "uniquely marked"

Cot from Hindi खाट, "couch", probably from Sanskrit खट्वा, "bed"

Crimson via Old Spanish cremesin, via Latin cremesinus, via Arabic قرمز, from Sanskrit कृमिज "red worm dye"

Crocus via Greek ??ό???, via either Hebrew כרכום or Arabic كركم, from Sanskrit कुङ्कुमं, "saffron"

Curry from Tamil கறி, "sauce"

Ginger from Tamil இஞ்சிவேர், "ginger"

Guru from Sanskrit गुरु, "teacher"

Jackal via Turkish çakal via persian شغال from Sanskrit शृगालः, "he who howls"

Juggernaut via Oriya जगन्नाथ from Sanskrit जगन्नाथ "Lord of the world"

Jute via Bengali পাট from Sanskrit जुतास, "twisted hair"

Karma straight from Sanskrit कर्म, "action"

Kedgeree entered multiple times describing multiple dishes, all from Sanskrit कृशर, "soup"

Lacquer via French Laque or Portuguese Laca, via Arabic لك, from Sanskrit लक्षं, "paint"

Lilac via Arabic للك, via Persian نیلک, "blush", ultimately from Sanskrit नील, "blue"

Loot via Hindi लूट, "stolen thing", from Sanskrit लून्त्ति, "to steal"

Mongoose from Kannada ಮುಂಗುಸಿ, "mongusi" (no geese were harmed in the creation of the mongoose)

Mugger via Urdu مگر from Sanskrit मकर, "sea creature" (in the sense of a crocodile attacking stealthily). "To mug" as a verb is a later interpolation.

Orange via Old French orenge via Italian arancia via Arabic نارنج, via Persian نارنگ, via Sanskrit नारङ्ग, "orange tree"; probably from a lost Dravidian word

Palookah from Hindi भालू, "bear"

Punch (the drink) via Hindi पंज, "five", for its five ingredients: rum, sugar, lemon, water, tea

Pundit from Sanskrit पण्डित, "learned one"

Rice via Old French ris via Italian riso via Latin oriza via Greek ὄ???? via Sanskrit व्रीहिस्; Dravidian origin attested by Tamil அரிசி, "staple food"

Rye from sanskrit राजा, "wanderer"

Sandal via Middle English sandell, via Old French sandale, via Latin sandalum, via Greek ????ά????, via Persian صندل, via Sanskrit चन्दनम्, "wood"

Sapphire via Old French saphir, via Latin sapphirus, via Greek ?ά???????, via Hebrew ספיר, from Sanskrit शनिप्रिय, "sacred to Saturn"

Shampoo via Hindi चाँपो from Sanskrit चपयति, "to knead"

Shawl via Persian شال from Sanskrit सत्ल्, "strip of cloth"

Sugar via Old French sucre via Italian zucchero via Latin succarum via Arabic سكر via Persian شکر from Sanskrit शर्करा, probably from a lost Dravidian word

Thug via Marathi ठग from Sanskrit स्थग, "scoundrel"

Zen via both Mandarin 禅 and Japanese 禪, via Pali झन, from Sanskrit ध्यान, meditation

4 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
English words of Indian origin (Original Post) Recursion Mar 2015 OP
pajamas DamnYankeeInHouston Mar 2015 #1
Bungalow n/t sarge43 Mar 2015 #2
Pundit..."learned one" madamesilverspurs Mar 2015 #3
Dinghy, dungarees, nabob... (nt) petronius Mar 2015 #4
Latest Discussions»The DU Lounge»English words of Indian o...