Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Sámi” come from?

Sámi (English) comes from Tamil சாமி, from Pali sāmin, from Sanskrit स्वामिन्, from Sanskrit स्व, from Proto-Indo-Aryan swá, from Proto-Indo-Iranian swá, from Proto-Indo-European swé — self.

Sámi (English): Alternative spelling of Sami

Definitions

  1. Alternative spelling of Sami

Ancestry of “Sámi”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Tamilசாமி—
2Palisāmin—
3Sanskritस्वामिन्an owner, proprietor, master, lord or owner of; a...
4Sanskritस्वhis/her own; of self; one's self
5Proto-Indo-Aryanswá—
6Proto-Indo-Iranianswáself; reflexive pronoun
7Proto-Indo-Europeanswéself
Every word from Proto-Indo-European swé →