Where does “geisha” come from?

Geisha comes from Japanese 芸者, which derives from Middle Chinese 藝.

geisha (English): A Japanese female entertainer skilled in various...

Definitions

  1. A Japanese female entertainer skilled in various...

Ancestry of “geisha”, step by step

geisha traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Japanese 芸者

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Japanese芸者a geisha; one who is proficient in an art, an...
2Japanese芸art, craft, technique, performance; trick
3Middle Chinese藝—

via Japanese geisha

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Japanesegeisha—

Words derived from “geisha”

Every word from Middle Chinese 藝 →Every word from Japanese 芸 →Every word from Japanese 芸者 →