Where does “mahā” come from?

mahā (English) comes from Sanskrit महा, from Proto-Indo-Aryan maźʰā́, from Proto-Indo-Iranian maȷ́ʰā́, from Proto-Indo-European méǵh₂s — big, great.

mahā (English): great, eminent; as a honorific for Indian titles,...

Definitions

  1. great, eminent; as a honorific for Indian titles,...

Ancestry of “mahā”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Sanskritमहाcombining form of महत्; buffalo; great, large,...
2Proto-Indo-Aryanmaźʰā́—
3Proto-Indo-Iranianmaȷ́ʰā́big, great
4Proto-Indo-Europeanméǵh₂sbig, great
Every word from Proto-Indo-European méǵh₂s →Every word from Proto-Indo-Iranian maȷ́ʰā́ →Every word from Proto-Indo-Aryan maźʰā́ →