Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Sumatran” come from?

Sumatran derives from English Sumatra, from Indonesian Sumatra, from Sanskrit समुद्र (samudra, "ocean"), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European sem- meaning "one" or "together."

Sumatran (English): From, or pertaining to, the island of Sumatra;...

Definitions

  1. From, or pertaining to, the island of Sumatra;...

Ancestry of “Sumatran”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishSumatra—
2IndonesianSumatra—
3MalaySumatera—
4Sanskritसमुद्रthe sea; ocean
5Sanskritसम्-with, together with, along with, together,...
6Proto-Indo-Iraniansam-—
7Proto-Indo-Europeansem-together, one
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sem- →