Where does “Mira” come from?

Mira comes from Latin mirus, which derives from Proto-Italic smeiros, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European sméyros and smey-, though the original meaning remains uncertain.

Mira (English): A binary star in the constellation Cetus, Omicron (ο) Ceti. The system contains a variable red giant and a white dwarf. Its brightness varies from a magnitude 2 at its brightest to a magnitude 10 at its dimmest

Definitions

  1. A binary star in the constellation Cetus, Omicron (ο) Ceti. The system contains a variable red giant and a white dwarf. Its brightness varies from a magnitude 2 at its brightest to a magnitude 10 at its dimmest

Ancestry of “Mira”, step by step

Mira traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Latin mīrus

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinmīruswonderful, marvelous, amazing, surprising, miraculous
2Proto-Italicsmeiros—
3Proto-Indo-Europeansméyroslaughing, smiling
4Proto-Indo-Europeansmey-to smile; to smear, stroke, wipe, rub; to be...

via Hindi मीरा

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Hindiमीराmurva; alcohol, intoxication
2Sanskritमीरा—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European smey- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European sméyros →Every word from Proto-Italic smeiros →