English
chai
Chai comes from Romani ćhaj ‘Romani girl, daughter’, from Sauraseni Prakrit 𑀙𑀸𑀯 ‘baby animal’, and ultimately from Sanskrit *छाप.
- Sanskritc. 1500–500 BCE*छापreconstructed
- Sauraseni Prakritmodern𑀙𑀸𑀯‘baby animal’
- Romanimodernćhavo‘Romani boy’
- Romani, derivedmodernćhaj‘Romani girl, daughter’
- Englishtodaychai
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Sanskritc. 1500–500 BCE*छापreconstructed
- Sauraseni Prakritmodern𑀙𑀸𑀯‘baby animal’
- Romanimodernćhavo‘Romani boy’
- Romani, derivedmodernćhaj‘Romani girl, daughter’
- Englishtodaychai
Every English word from Sanskrit *छाप
Another origin of chai
- Classical Persianc. 900–presentچَایčāy
- Englishtodaychai
Another origin of chai
- Proto-Semiticc. 4000–3000 BCE*ḥyw‘to live’root as named · steps between not traced
- Hebrew1880s–presentחַיkháy‘alive’
- Englishtodaychai
Another origin of chai
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEOccitānus‘Occitan’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentOccitan‘Occitan man’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentchai‘wine cellar’
- Englishtodaysame form
Today it means
noun A female Romani.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Sanskrit *छाप / chai