Where does “怛特羅” come from?
怛特羅 (Chinese) comes from Sanskrit तन्त्र, from Proto-Indo-Iranian tántram, from Proto-Indo-European *tántram, from Proto-Indo-European ten- — to stretch, to extend.
怛特羅 (Chinese): tantra
Ancestry of “怛特羅”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Sanskrit | तन्त्र | a loom; the warp; the leading or principal or... |
| 2 | Proto-Indo-Iranian | tántram | — |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | *tántram | — |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | ten- | to stretch, to extend |