Etymology Explorer › German

Where does “Nirwana” come from?

Nirwana (German) comes from English nirvana, from Sanskrit निर्वाण, from Sanskrit निस्, from Sanskrit नि, from Proto-Indo-Iranian ní, from Proto-Indo-European ni — down.

Ancestry of “Nirwana”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishnirvanaComplete cessation of suffering; a blissful state...
2Sanskritनिर्वाणblowing out, extinction, cessation, setting,...
3Sanskritनिस्out, forth, away &c
4Sanskritनिdown; back; in, into
5Proto-Indo-Iraniannídown, downwards; in, into
6Proto-Indo-Europeannidown

Words derived from “Nirwana”

  • nirvána
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ni →