Etymograph

English

lascar

Lascar comes from Persian لشکر ‘army’, from Proto-Iranian *karah ‘-fold, of time’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂lek- ‘to protect’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂lek-‘to protect’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂lékseti‘to be protecting’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Indo-Iranianc. 2500–1800 BCE*Hrákšati‘to protect, guard’reconstructed
  4. Proto-Iranianprehistoric (reconstructed)*karah‘-fold, of time’reconstructed
  5. Middle Persianc. 300 BCE–900 CElškl‘army’
  6. Persianc. 900–presentلشکرlaškar‘army’
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1919lascar

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂lek-‘to protect’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂lékseti‘to be protecting’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Indo-Iranianc. 2500–1800 BCE*Hrákšati‘to protect, guard’reconstructed
  4. Proto-Iranianprehistoric (reconstructed)*karah‘-fold, of time’reconstructed
  5. Middle Persianc. 300 BCE–900 CElškl‘army’
  6. Persianc. 900–presentلشکرlaškar‘army’
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1919lascar

Earliest quotation: 1919, W. Somerset Maugham, chapter 47: “A motley crowd saunters along the streets — Lascars…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *h₂lek- ‘to protect’

lac, lakh, rakhi, 14 more

through Middle Persian lškl ‘army’

askari, 2 more

Today it means

noun A sailor from India or Southeast Asia, especially as serving on a European ship.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂lek- / lascar

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