Where does “মহাদেশ” come from?

মহাদেশ (Bengali) comes from Bengali দেশ, from Sanskrit देश, from Proto-Indo-Aryan dayśás, from Proto-Indo-Iranian dayćás, from Proto-Indo-European deyḱ- — to point out.

মহাদেশ (Bengali): continent

Definitions

  1. continent

Ancestry of “মহাদেশ”, step by step

মহাদেশ traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Bengali দেশ

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Bengaliদেশcountry; state
2Sanskritदेशpoint, region, spot, place, part, portion;...
3Proto-Indo-Aryandayśáspoint, region, part; country, province
4Proto-Indo-Iraniandayćáspart, point; country
5Proto-Indo-Europeandeyḱ-to point out

via Bengali মহা

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Bengaliমহাgreat, large
2Sanskritमहाcombining form of महत्; buffalo; great, large,...
3Proto-Indo-Aryanmaźʰā́—
4Proto-Indo-Iranianmaȷ́ʰā́big, great
5Proto-Indo-Europeanméǵh₂sbig, great
Every word from Proto-Indo-European deyḱ- →Every word from Proto-Indo-Iranian dayćás →Every word from Proto-Indo-Aryan dayśás →