Where does “Mascara” come from?

Mascara (English) comes from Arabic مُعَسْكَر, from Arabic عَسْكَر, from Persian لشکر, from Middle Persian lškl, from Proto-Indo-Iranian Hrákšati, from Proto-Indo-European h₂lékseti, from Proto-Indo-European h₂lek- — to protect.

Mascara (English): A cosmetic used to darken and thicken the eyelashes

Definitions

  1. A cosmetic used to darken and thicken the eyelashes

Ancestry of “Mascara”, step by step

Mascara traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Arabic مُعَسْكَر

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Arabicمُعَسْكَرencampment
2Arabicعَسْكَرtroops; army; soldiers, army
3Persianلشکرarmy; division
4Middle Persianlšklarmy
5Proto-Indo-IranianHrákšatito protect, guard
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂léksetito be protecting
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂lek-to protect

via Italian mascara

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Italianmascaramascara

Words derived from “Mascara”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂lek- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂lékseti →Every word from Proto-Indo-Iranian Hrákšati →