Etymograph

English

kurta

Kurta comes from Classical Persian کرته ‘tunic, kirtle’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-Iranian *kr̥tá-ka.

  1. Proto-Indo-Iranianc. 2500–1800 BCE*kr̥tá-kareconstructed
  2. Proto-Iranianprehistoric (reconstructed)*kurat-āka-reconstructed
  3. Classical Persianc. 900–presentکرتهkurta‘tunic, kirtle’
  4. Urdumodernکرتاkurtā
  5. Hindic. 1500–presentकुरताkurtā
  6. Englishearliest quotation 2008kurta

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Earlier history uncertain.

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Iranianc. 2500–1800 BCE*kr̥tá-kareconstructed
  2. Proto-Iranianprehistoric (reconstructed)*kurat-āka-reconstructed
  3. Classical Persianc. 900–presentکرتهkurta‘tunic, kirtle’
  4. Urdumodernکرتاkurtā
  5. Hindic. 1500–presentकुरताkurtā
  6. Englishearliest quotation 2008kurta

Earliest quotation: 2008, Amitav Ghosh, Sea of Poppies: “Now her fingers began to unbutton the ivory studs…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- ‘to cut’

across, share, card, short, cross, cancer, screen, score, circle, circuit, shirt, crucial, scare, circus, circulation, carnival, curve, scar, cancellation, scrutiny, shrine, skirt, crest, circa, curb, corona, shear, scorpion, incarceration, shred, carnage, raffle, circulate, carcinoma, corolla, scorn, shrewd, crux, shard, carnal, 119 more

Today it means

noun A traditional article of clothing worn in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, consisting of a loose, collarless, long-sleeved, knee-length shirt worn by both men and women.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-Iranian *kr̥tá-ka / kurta

Shirt and support for this word