Where does “Maldives” come from?

Maldives (English) comes from Dhivehi މާލެ, from Dhivehi ލޭ, from Prakrit 𑀮𑁄𑀳𑀺𑀅, from Sanskrit लोहित, from Proto-Indo-Iranian Hráwdʰitas, from Proto-Indo-European h₁rewdʰ- — red.

Ancestry of “Maldives”, step by step

Maldives traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Dhivehi މާލެ

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dhivehiމާލެ—
2Dhivehiލޭblood
3Prakrit𑀮𑁄𑀳𑀺𑀅red
4Sanskritलोहितred, reddish; made of copper; blood
5Proto-Indo-IranianHráwdʰitasred
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁rewdʰ-red

via Prakrit 𑀤𑀻𑀯

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Prakrit𑀤𑀻𑀯—
2Sanskritदीपlight; lamp, light source; light source
3Proto-Indo-Europeandyew(p)to purify with light
4Proto-Indo-Europeandyew-to be bright; sky, heaven

Words derived from “Maldives”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁rewdʰ- →Every word from Proto-Indo-Iranian Hráwdʰitas →Every word from Sanskrit लोहित →