Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Chao Phraya” come from?

Chao Phraya (English) comes from Thai เจ้าพระยา, from Thai เจ้า, from Thai เจ้าข้า, from Thai ข้า, from Thai พระพุทธเจ้า, from Thai พระ, from Pali vāra, from Sanskrit वार — to chase, pursue; to suppress, persecute.

Ancestry of “Chao Phraya”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Thaiเจ้าพระยาchief, lord, master, leader, ruler,...
2Thaiเจ้าgod; deity; guardian spirit; tutelary deity;...
3Thaiเจ้าข้าparticle used by female speakers at the end of...
4Thaiข้าcitizen; attendant; retainer; servant; slave
5Thaiพระพุทธเจ้าBuddha; Buddha image; king: male monarch
6Thaiพระgod, deity; priest, royal person; also used as an...
7Palivāraday ; time, moment, occasion; etc
8SanskritवारAlternative form of वाल; keeping back,...
9Sanskritवर"environing", "enclosing", circumference, space,...
10Sanskritवीरman, especially a brave or eminent man, hero,...
11Proto-Indo-Iranianwīrás—
12Proto-Indo-EuropeanwiHrósman; husband; warrior, hero
13Proto-Indo-Europeanweyh₁-to chase, pursue; to suppress, persecute
Every word from Proto-Indo-European weyh₁- →