Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “pranayama” come from?

pranayama (English) comes from Sanskrit प्राणायाम, from Sanskrit प्राण, from Sanskrit प्र-, from Proto-Indo-Aryan pra-, from Proto-Indo-Iranian pra-, from Proto-Indo-European pro-, from Proto-Indo-European por-, from Proto-Indo-European per- — passed , crossed.

pranayama (English): Breathing techniques. When used as a technical...

Definitions

  1. Breathing techniques. When used as a technical...

Ancestry of “pranayama”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Sanskritप्राणायामpranayama
2Sanskritप्राणbreath, respiration, the breath of life,...
3Sanskritप्र-forward, before; forward, forth; in front of
4Proto-Indo-Aryanpra-forth
5Proto-Indo-Iranianpra-toward, forward
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpro-toward, forward
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpor-to give birth; forward, through; going, passage
8Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
9Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós →