Where does “awatara” come from?

awatara (Balinese) comes from Old Javanese awatāra, from Sanskrit अवतार, from Sanskrit अव, from Proto-Indo-Iranian Háwa, from Proto-Indo-European h₂ew, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰe — Postpositional intensifying particle: indeed, at any rate, in fact.

awatara (Balinese): avatar

Definitions

  1. avatar

Ancestry of “awatara”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Javaneseawatāraembodiment, incarnation
2Sanskritअवतारavatar: descent (especially of a deity from heaven), appearance of any deity upon earth (but more particularly the incarnations of Vishnu in ten principal forms, namely Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Narasimha, Vamana, Parashurama, Rāma, Krishna, Buddha, and Kalki)
3Sanskritअवoff, away; down; this
4Proto-Indo-IranianHáwaaway from, off; down
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ewaway from, off; again
6Proto-Indo-EuropeanǵʰePostpositional intensifying particle: indeed, at any rate, in fact
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰeEvery word from Proto-Indo-European h₂ewEvery word from Proto-Indo-Iranian Háwa