Etymograph

English

cheetah

Cheetah comes from Hindi चीता ‘leopard, panther’, from Sanskrit चित्र ‘multicolored, speckled’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *keyt- ‘to shine, glow’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*keyt-‘to shine, glow’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*kit-ró-sreconstructed
  3. Proto-Indo-Iranianc. 2500–1800 BCE*čitrás‘bright, clear, conspicuous’reconstructed
  4. Sanskritc. 1500–500 BCEचित्रcitra‘multicolored, speckled’
  5. Sanskrit, derivedc. 1500–500 BCEचित्रक‘leopard’
  6. Sauraseni Prakritmodern𑀘𑀺𑀢𑁆𑀢𑀕
  7. Hindic. 1500–presentचीताcītā‘leopard, panther’
  8. Englishtodaycheetah

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*keyt-‘to shine, glow’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*kit-ró-sreconstructed
  3. Proto-Indo-Iranianc. 2500–1800 BCE*čitrás‘bright, clear, conspicuous’reconstructed
  4. Sanskritc. 1500–500 BCEचित्रcitra‘multicolored, speckled’
  5. Sanskrit, derivedc. 1500–500 BCEचित्रक‘leopard’
  6. Sauraseni Prakritmodern𑀘𑀺𑀢𑁆𑀢𑀕
  7. Hindic. 1500–presentचीताcītā‘leopard, panther’
  8. Englishtodaycheetah

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

Today it means

noun A distinctive member (Acinonyx jubatus) of the cat family, slightly smaller than the leopard, but with proportionately longer limbs and a smaller head; native to Africa and southeast Asia (where it is nearly extinct) and also credited with being the fastest terrestrial animal.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *keyt- / cheetah

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