English
caravan
Caravan comes from Middle Persian kʾlwʾn', from Old Persian k-a-r ‘people, subjects’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ker- ‘army’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ker-‘army’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*kór-o-sreconstructed
- Proto-Indo-Iranianc. 2500–1800 BCE*kā́rasreconstructed
- Proto-Iranianprehistoric (reconstructed)*kā́rah‘army’reconstructed
- Old Persianc. 600–300 BCEk-a-rtransliteratedoriginal script k-a-r, a transliteration‘people, subjects’
- Middle Persianc. 300 BCE–900 CEkʾlwʾn'kārawān
- Persianc. 900–presentکاروانkârvân
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400carvane
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600caravane
- Englishearliest quotation 1825caravan
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ker-‘army’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*kór-o-sreconstructed
- Proto-Indo-Iranianc. 2500–1800 BCE*kā́rasreconstructed
- Proto-Iranianprehistoric (reconstructed)*kā́rah‘army’reconstructed
- Old Persianc. 600–300 BCEk-a-rtransliteratedoriginal script k-a-r, a transliteration‘people, subjects’
- Middle Persianc. 300 BCE–900 CEkʾlwʾn'kārawān
- Persianc. 900–presentکاروانkârvân
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400carvane
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600caravane
- Englishearliest quotation 1825caravan
Earliest quotation: 1825, Royal Society: “An Italian woman, twenty years of age, […] was…”
The story
The word was used to designate a group of people who were travelling by camel or horse on the Silk Road.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *ker- ‘army’
Today it means
noun A convoy or procession of travellers, their cargo and vehicles, and any pack animals, especially camels crossing a desert.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ker- / caravan