English
dharma
Dharma comes from Sanskrit धर्म ‘that which upholds or supports’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *dʰer-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰer-‘to hold’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰér-mosreconstructed
- Sanskritc. 1500–500 BCEधर्मdhárma‘that which upholds or supports’
- Englishearliest quotation 2016dharma
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰer-‘to hold’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰér-mosreconstructed
- Sanskritc. 1500–500 BCEधर्मdhárma‘that which upholds or supports’
- Englishearliest quotation 2016dharma
Earliest quotation: 2016, Wikipedia contributors, Five Vows: “Jain ethical code prescribes two dharmas or rules of…”
The story
The definitions pertaining to Buddhism are influenced by dhamma, a loan word from Pali.
Linked words
pairs
- dharma and firm both from Proto-Indo-European *dʰer- ‘to hold’
through Proto-Indo-European *dʰer- ‘to hold, support’
drug, dry, dark, drama, throne, drain, dare, drone, feasible, drastic, refrain, formidable, darn, dazed, dor, dern, 42 more
Today it means
noun The natural order of the universe; natural law, cosmic order.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *dʰer- / dharma