Where does “van” come from?
Van comes from English caravan, from Middle French caravane, from Persian کاروان, from Middle Persian kʾlwʾn', both ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ker-.
van (English): A covered vehicle used for carrying goods or...
Definitions
- A covered vehicle used for carrying goods or...
Ancestry of “van”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | caravan | A convoy or procession of travelers, their... |
| 2 | Middle French | caravane | — |
| 3 | Old French | carvane | — |
| 4 | Persian | کاروان | caravan; convoy |
| 5 | Middle Persian | kʾlwʾn' | military column; caravan |
| 6 | Old Persian | 𐎣𐎠𐎼 | the people, subjects; army |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱer- | to grow, to make grow, to nourish; to plait,... |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | kr̥- | to turn, to bend |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | ker- | army |