Where does “mahout” come from?
Mahout comes from Hindi महावत, derived from Sanskrit महामात्र, which combines Sanskrit मह (great) with Proto-Indo-Aryan maźʰás, from Proto-Indo-Iranian maȷ́ʰás, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European méǵh₂s meaning great or mighty.
mahout (English): An elephant driver and keeper; To drive elephants
Definitions
- An elephant driver and keeper; To drive elephants
Ancestry of “mahout”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Hindi | महावत | mahout |
| 2 | Sanskrit | महामात्र | high official |
| 3 | Sanskrit | महा | combining form of महत्; buffalo; great, large,... |
| 4 | Sanskrit | महायान | — |
| 5 | Sanskrit | यान | carriage, vehicle, mode of transport; moving,... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-Aryan | yáHnam | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-Iranian | yáHnam | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | yéh₂-nom | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | yeh₂- | to go; to go in, enter; to ride, to travel |