English
prana
Prana comes from Sanskrit प्राण ‘breath’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *h₂enh₁-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂enh₁-‘to breathe’reconstructed
- Sanskritc. 1500–500 BCEअन‘breath, respiration’
- Sanskrit, derivedc. 1500–500 BCEप्राणprāṇa‘breath’
- Englishearliest quotation 1919prana
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂enh₁-‘to breathe’reconstructed
- Sanskritc. 1500–500 BCEअन‘breath, respiration’
- Sanskrit, derivedc. 1500–500 BCEप्राणprāṇa‘breath’
- Englishearliest quotation 1919prana
Earliest quotation: 1919, Swami Paramananda: “He it is who sends the (in-coming) Prana (life-breath)…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂enh₁- ‘to breathe’
and, animal, anime, asthma, unanimous, inhale, animosity, animate, animator, anima, animus, exhalation, anemone, onde, 19 more
Today it means
noun Respiration, breathing, seen as a life principle or life force.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂enh₁- / prana