Where does “Sumatra” come from?
Sumatra derives from Indonesian Sumatra, from Sanskrit समुद्र (samudra, "ocean"), composed of Sanskrit सम्- (sam-, "together") and a root meaning "water," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European sem- ("one, together").
Ancestry of “Sumatra”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Indonesian | Sumatra | — |
| 2 | Malay | Sumatera | — |
| 3 | Sanskrit | समुद्र | the sea; ocean |
| 4 | Sanskrit | सम्- | with, together with, along with, together,... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-Iranian | sam- | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | sem- | together, one |
Words derived from “Sumatra”