Where does “mithai” come from?

mithai (English) comes from Hindi मिठाई, from Hindi मीठा, from Sauraseni Prakrit 𑀫𑀺𑀝𑁆𑀞, from Sanskrit मिष्ट, from Sanskrit मृष्ट, from Sanskrit मृज्, from Proto-Indo-European *h₃merǵ- — to wipe off, wipe clean.

mithai (English): sweets; confectionery

Definitions

  1. sweets; confectionery

Ancestry of “mithai”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Hindiमिठाईsweet, dessert; sweetness
2Hindiमीठाsweet; pleasant, agreeable; gentle, light
3Sauraseni Prakrit𑀫𑀺𑀝𑁆𑀞—
4Sanskritमिष्टdainty, delicate, sweet
5Sanskritमृष्टsavoury; sweet; polished
6Sanskritमृज्to wipe
7Proto-Indo-European*h₃merǵ-to wipe off, wipe clean
Every word from Proto-Indo-European *h₃merǵ- →Every word from Sanskrit मृज् →Every word from Sanskrit मृष्ट →