Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “buddha” come from?

buddha (English) comes from Pali Buddha, from Sanskrit बुद्ध, from Proto-Indo-Aryan buddʰás, from Proto-Indo-Iranian bʰudᶻdʰás, from Proto-Indo-European bʰudʰtós, from Proto-Indo-European bʰewdʰ- — to be awake, be aware.

buddha (English): A human being who has become enlightened and...

Definitions

  1. A human being who has become enlightened and...

Ancestry of “buddha”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1PaliBuddhaBuddha, the enlightened one
2Sanskritबुद्धawake; enlightened, conscious, intelligent,...
3Proto-Indo-Aryanbuddʰás—
4Proto-Indo-Iranianbʰudᶻdʰás—
5Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰudʰtósaware
6Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰewdʰ-to be awake, be aware
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰewdʰ- →