Where does “गाय” come from?
गाय (Hindi) comes from Sauraseni Prakrit 𑀕𑀸𑀈, from Sanskrit गावी, from Sanskrit गो, from Proto-Indo-Iranian gāuš, from Proto-Iranian gā́wš, from Proto-Indo-Iranian gā́wš, from Proto-Indo-European gʷṓws — cattle.
गाय (Hindi): cow; a docile person
Ancestry of “गाय”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Sauraseni Prakrit | 𑀕𑀸𑀈 | — |
| 2 | Sanskrit | गावी | — |
| 3 | Sanskrit | गो | a cow; an ox; cattle, kine, herd of cattle |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-Iranian | gāuš | — |
| 5 | Proto-Iranian | gā́wš | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-Iranian | gā́wš | cow |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷṓws | cattle |