English
swastika
Swastika comes from Sanskrit स्वस्तिक ‘any lucky or auspicious object’, from Proto-Indo-Iranian *Hsu- ‘good’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₁su-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₁su-‘good’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-Iranianc. 2500–1800 BCE*Hsu-‘good’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-Aryanprehistoric (reconstructed)same formreconstructed
- Sanskritc. 1500–500 BCEस्वस्तिकsvastika‘any lucky or auspicious object’
- Englishearliest quotation 1888swastika
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₁su-‘good’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-Iranianc. 2500–1800 BCE*Hsu-‘good’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-Aryanprehistoric (reconstructed)same formreconstructed
- Sanskritc. 1500–500 BCEस्वस्तिकsvastika‘any lucky or auspicious object’
- Englishearliest quotation 1888swastika
Earliest quotation: 1888, Rudyard Kipling, The Sending of Dana Da: “This was signed by Dana Da, who added pentacles…”
The story
Learned borrowing from Sanskrit स्वस्तिक (svastika), from सु- (su-, “good, well”) + अस्ति (asti), a verbal abstract of the root of the verb "to be", स्वस्ति (svasti) thus meaning "well-being" — and the diminutive suffix क (ka); hence "little thing associated with well-being", corresponding roughly to "lucky charm". First attestation in English in 1871, a Sanskritism that replaced the Grecian term gammadion.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₁es- ‘to be’
is, am, interest, potential, sin, sinful, soothe, sooth, quintessence, sinless, asana, 11 more
Today it means
noun A cross with arms of equal length all bent halfway along at a 90° angle to the right or to the left, used as a religious symbol by various ancient and modern civilizations, but now mainly seen and used in the West (with arms angled to the right) as a symbol of Nazism and fascism.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₁su- / swastika