English
Viagra
Viagra may come from Sanskrit व्याघ्र ‘tiger’.
- Sanskritc. 1500–500 BCEव्याघ्रvyāghrá‘tiger’uncertain
- Englishearliest quotation 2004Viagra
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Sanskritc. 1500–500 BCEव्याघ्रvyāghrá‘tiger’uncertain
- Englishearliest quotation 2004Viagra
Earliest quotation: 2004, Jayson Gallaway, Diary of a Viagra Fiend: “Just like any other drug that elevates any aspect…”
The story
Marketing name, perhaps from Sanskrit व्याघ्र (vyāghrá, “tiger”), or perhaps based on words such as vigour or virility.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *gʰer- ‘yellow, orange’
grand, grill, greedy, charismatic, grit, yearn, chromatic, growl, grime, yar, grout, grisly, grist, grimace, exhort, 17 more
through Proto-Indo-European *weyh₁- ‘to chase, pursue’
previous, obvious, violent, virtual, violation, inevitable, convey, virtue, vengeance, voyage, violate, envoy, avenge, trivial, vis, deviation, virtuous, trivia, venison, wer, vindication, virtuoso, ochre, deviant, vim, viaduct, virile, virility, violator, inviolable, trivium, obviate, virago, 54 more
Today it means
name A brand name of the drug sildenafil citrate, used to treat erectile dysfunction.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Sanskrit व्याघ्र / Viagra