Where does “রাজশাহী” come from?
রাজশাহী (Bengali) comes from Bengali শাহ, from Classical Persian شاه, from Middle Persian 𐭬𐭫𐭪𐭠, from Old Persian 𐏋, from Proto-Iranian xšáyati, from Proto-Indo-Iranian kšáyati, from Proto-Indo-European teḱ- — to sire, beget.
Ancestry of “রাজশাহী”, step by step
রাজশাহী traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Bengali শাহ
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bengali | শাহ | king, monarch |
| 2 | Classical Persian | شاه | — |
| 3 | Middle Persian | 𐭬𐭫𐭪𐭠 | king |
| 4 | Old Persian | 𐏋 | king |
| 5 | Proto-Iranian | xšáyati | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-Iranian | kšáyati | he rules, he has power over |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | teḱ- | to sire, beget |
via Bengali রাজা
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bengali | রাজা | king; monarch |
| 2 | Sanskrit | राज | king; chief; sovereign |
| 3 | Sanskrit | राजन् | a king, sovereign, prince, chief; a man of the... |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-Aryan | Hrā́ȷ́ā | king |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-Iranian | Hrā́ȷ́ā | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃rḗǵs | king, ruler |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃reǵ- | to straighten, to right oneself; right; just |