English
India
India comes from Ancient Greek Ἰνδία, from Ἰνδός ‘Indus river’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-Iranian *síndʰuš.
- Proto-Indo-Iranianc. 2500–1800 BCE*síndʰuš‘river’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-Aryanprehistoric (reconstructed)*síndʰuṣreconstructed
- Sanskritc. 1500–500 BCEसिन्धुsindhu‘a river, stream (especially the Indus’
- Old Persianc. 600–300 BCEhiⁿdūštransliteratedoriginal script hiⁿdūš, a transliteration
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἸνδόςIndós‘Indus river’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἸνδίαIndía
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEIndia
- Old Englishc. 450–1150same form
- Englishearliest quotation 2024same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Iranianc. 2500–1800 BCE*síndʰuš‘river’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-Aryanprehistoric (reconstructed)*síndʰuṣreconstructed
- Sanskritc. 1500–500 BCEसिन्धुsindhu‘a river, stream (especially the Indus’
- Old Persianc. 600–300 BCEhiⁿdūštransliteratedoriginal script hiⁿdūš, a transliteration
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἸνδόςIndós‘Indus river’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἸνδίαIndía
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEIndia
- Old Englishc. 450–1150same form
- Englishearliest quotation 2024same form
Earliest quotation: 2024, Aishwarya S Iyer and Rhea Mogul: “The demolition of two mosques in India within days…”
Linked words
through Ancient Greek Ἰνδία
Today it means
name A country in South Asia. Official name: Republic of India. Capital: New Delhi.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-Iranian *síndʰuš / India