Where does “vira” come from?

vira (English) comes from Pali vīra, from Sanskrit वीर, from Proto-Indo-Iranian wīrás, from Proto-Indo-European wiHrós, from Proto-Indo-European weyh₁- — to chase, pursue; to suppress, persecute.

Ancestry of “vira”, step by step

vira traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Pali vīra

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Palivīrabrave; heroic; hero
2Sanskritवीरman, especially a brave or eminent man, hero,...
3Proto-Indo-Iranianwīrás—
4Proto-Indo-EuropeanwiHrósman; husband; warrior, hero
5Proto-Indo-Europeanweyh₁-to chase, pursue; to suppress, persecute

via Ukrainian віра

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Ukrainianвіраfaith; belief; creed
2Proto-Slavicvěrafaith, belief
3Proto-Indo-Europeanweh₁rostrue
4Proto-Indo-Europeanweh₁-true
Every word from Proto-Indo-European weyh₁- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European wiHrós →Every word from Proto-Indo-Iranian wīrás →