Where does “hamsa” come from?
hamsa (English) comes from Sanskrit हंस, from Proto-Indo-Aryan źʰansás, from Proto-Indo-Iranian ȷ́ʰansás, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰh₂éns — goose.
hamsa (English): the Hand of Fatima
Ancestry of “hamsa”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Sanskrit | हंस | a goose, gander, swan, flamingo; sometimes a mere... |
| 2 | Proto-Indo-Aryan | źʰansás | goose, swan |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-Iranian | ȷ́ʰansás | goose, swan |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵʰh₂éns | goose |