Where does “Bhishma” come from?

Bhishma comes from Sanskrit भीष्म, derived from Sanskrit भी, which traces to Proto-Indo-European bʰeyH-, a root expressing fear or dread.

Bhishma (English): The name of a hero in the Mahabharata

Definitions

  1. The name of a hero in the Mahabharata

Ancestry of “Bhishma”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Sanskritभीष्मterrible, horrible, dreadful, frightening;...
2Sanskritभीfear, fright, alarm, dread; to fear, dread, be...
3Proto-Indo-AryanbʰíHs—
4Proto-Indo-IranianbʰayH-to fear
5Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰíh₂s—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰeyh₂-to fear, be afraid; to strike, hit; to hew, cut
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰeyh₂- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰíh₂s →Every word from Proto-Indo-Iranian bʰayH- →