Where does “Pakistani” come from?
Pakistani derives from English Pakistan, from Urdu پاکستان, from Urdu پاک combined with Middle Persian -stʾn' meaning land, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European steh₂- meaning to stand.
Pakistani (English): A person from Pakistan or of Pakistani descent;...
Definitions
- A person from Pakistan or of Pakistani descent;...
Ancestry of “Pakistani”, step by step
Pakistani traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via English Pakistan
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Pakistan | — |
| 2 | Urdu | پاکستان | Land of the Pure |
| 3 | Classical Persian | پَاک | — |
via Spanish Pakistán
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spanish | Pakistán | — |