Etymograph

English

Tara

Tara comes from Irish Teamhrach, and goes back to Old Irish Temair.

  1. Old Irishc. 600–900Temairliterally ‘high place’
  2. Irishc. 1200–presentTeamhrach
  3. Englishearliest quotation 1808Tara

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Old Irishc. 600–900Temairliterally ‘high place’
  2. Irishc. 1200–presentTeamhrach
  3. Englishearliest quotation 1808Tara

Earliest quotation: 1808, Thomas Moore: “No more to chiefs and ladies bright The harp…”

The story

Borrowed from Irish Teamhrach, genitive of Teamhair, from Old Irish Temair (literally “high place”). The female given name is derived from the name of the plantation in Gone with the Wind, named for the place in Ireland.

Every English word from Old Irish Temair

Another origin of Tara

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂eHs-‘to be dry, to dry’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂stḗr‘star’next step skipped: Proto-Indo-Aryan *Hstā́
  3. Sanskritc. 1500–500 BCEतृtṛ‘star’
  4. Sanskrit, derivedc. 1500–500 BCEताराtārā‘star’
  5. EnglishtodayTara

Another origin of Tara

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂eh₁s-‘to burn, glow’uncertain
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂stḗr‘star’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Indo-Iranianc. 2500–1800 BCE*Hstar-reconstructed
  4. Sanskritc. 1500–500 BCEतारा‘star, asterism’
  5. Punjabimodernਤਾਰਾ‘star’
  6. Persianc. 900–presentتاراtârâ‘star’
  7. EnglishtodayTara

Today it means

name An Irish place name, associated with the Hill of Tara, seat of ancient Irish kings.

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

Etymograph / Old Irish Temair / Tara

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