Etymograph

English

atman

Atman comes from Sanskrit आत्मन् ‘soul’, from Proto-Indo-Iranian *HáHtmā ‘breath’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₁eh₁t-.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₁eh₁t-‘to breathe’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₁éh₁t-mō ~ *h₁h₁t-m̥nés‘breath, spirit’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Indo-Iranianc. 2500–1800 BCE*HáHtmā‘breath’reconstructed
  4. Proto-Indo-Aryanprehistoric (reconstructed)same formreconstructed
  5. Sanskritc. 1500–500 BCEआत्मन्ātmán‘soul’
  6. Englishearliest quotation 1994atman

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₁eh₁t-‘to breathe’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₁éh₁t-mō ~ *h₁h₁t-m̥nés‘breath, spirit’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Indo-Iranianc. 2500–1800 BCE*HáHtmā‘breath’reconstructed
  4. Proto-Indo-Aryanprehistoric (reconstructed)same formreconstructed
  5. Sanskritc. 1500–500 BCEआत्मन्ātmán‘soul’
  6. Englishearliest quotation 1994atman

Earliest quotation: 1994, John Hick, Death and Eternal Life: “However, we have been led beyond this to a…”

Every English word from Proto-Indo-European *h₁eh₁t-

Today it means

noun The true self of an individual beyond identification with worldly phenomena, the essence of an individual, an infinitesimal part of Brahman.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₁eh₁t- / atman

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