Where does “can” come from?

can (Azerbaijani) comes from Old Anatolian Turkish جان, from Persian جان, from Middle Persian yʾn', from Proto-Iranian *wyaHnáH, from Proto-Indo-Iranian wyaHnás, from Proto-Indo-European h₂enh₁‑ — to breathe.

can (Azerbaijani): soul, spirit; being, creature, life; body

Definitions

  1. soul, spirit; being, creature, life; body

Ancestry of “can”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Anatolian Turkishجانsoul, spirit
2Persianجانsoul; being; life
3Middle Persianyʾn'—
4Proto-Iranian*wyaHnáH—
5Proto-Indo-IranianwyaHnás—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂enh₁‑to breathe

Words derived from “can”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂enh₁‑ →Every word from Proto-Indo-Iranian wyaHnás →Every word from Proto-Iranian *wyaHnáH →