Where does “কী” come from?

কী (Assamese) comes from Bengali কি, from Pali 𑀓, from Sanskrit कः, from Sanskrit किम्, from Proto-Indo-Aryan kás, from Proto-Indo-Iranian kás, from Proto-Indo-European kʷós — who.

কী (Assamese): like

Definitions

  1. like

Ancestry of “কী”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Bengaliকিwhat?; Forms yes or no questions when placed in...
2Pali𑀓Brahmi script form of ka
3Sanskritकःnominative masculine singular of किम्
4Sanskritकिम्used as a particle of interrogation
5Proto-Indo-Aryankás—
6Proto-Indo-Iraniankáswho
7Proto-Indo-Europeankʷóswho

Words derived from “কী”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European kʷós →Every word from Proto-Indo-Iranian kás →Every word from Proto-Indo-Aryan kás →