Etymograph

English

Holi

Holi comes from Hindi होली, from Sanskrit होला ‘the Holi festival’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-Aryan *źʰawlaH.

  1. Proto-Indo-Aryanprehistoric (reconstructed)*źʰawlaHreconstructedearlier origin unknown
  2. Sanskritc. 1500–500 BCEहोलाholā‘the Holi festival’
  3. Prakritmodern𑀳𑁄𑀮𑀺𑀬𑀸
  4. Hindic. 1500–presentहोलीholī
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1830Holi

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Aryanprehistoric (reconstructed)*źʰawlaHreconstructedearlier origin unknown
  2. Sanskritc. 1500–500 BCEहोलाholā‘the Holi festival’
  3. Prakritmodern𑀳𑁄𑀮𑀺𑀬𑀸
  4. Hindic. 1500–presentहोलीholī
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1830Holi

Earliest quotation: 1830, Anne Katharine Curteis Elwood, Narrative of a Journey Overland from England: “At the Hoolie or Spring Festival, which happened in…”

Every English word from Proto-Indo-Aryan *źʰawlaH

Today it means

name A Hindu festival, held in the spring, during which people throw coloured powders at each other during noisy street celebrations.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-Aryan *źʰawlaH / Holi

Shirt and support for this word