Where does “Gurkha” come from?

Gurkha is an English word derived from Nepali गोर्खा or गोरखा, whose ultimate origin and meaning remain uncertain.

Gurkha (English): A member of the dominant ethnic group in Nepal,...

Definitions

  1. A member of the dominant ethnic group in Nepal,...

Ancestry of “Gurkha”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Nepaliगोर्खाinhabitant of Gorkha; {{w|Gorkha District}}
2Sanskritगोरक्षprotector of cows (i.e., a cowherd)
3Sanskritगोa cow; an ox; cattle, kine, herd of cattle
4Proto-Indo-Iraniangāuš—
5Proto-Iraniangā́wšcow
6Proto-Indo-Iraniangā́wšcow
7Proto-Indo-Europeangʷṓwscattle

Words derived from “Gurkha”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷṓws →Every word from Proto-Indo-Iranian gā́wš →Every word from Proto-Iranian gā́wš →