Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “purdah” come from?

Purdah comes from Urdu پردہ, from Persian پرده, from Middle Persian pltk', from Proto-Indo-European pleh₂-.

purdah (English): A curtain, especially as used to conceal and...

Definitions

  1. A curtain, especially as used to conceal and...

Ancestry of “purdah”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Urduپردہcurtain; screen; veil
2Classical Persianپرده—
3Middle Persianpardag—
4Proto-Indo-Europeanpel-to cover, to wrap; skin, hide, cloth; to fold
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pel- →