Where does “मृगनैनी” come from?

मृगनैनी (Hindi) comes from Hindi नयन, from Sanskrit नयन, from Sanskrit नी, from Proto-Indo-European neyH- — to lead.

मृगनैनी (Hindi): woman whose eyes are like a deer, doe eyes

Definitions

  1. woman whose eyes are like a deer, doe eyes

Ancestry of “मृगनैनी”, step by step

मृगनैनी traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Hindi नयन

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Hindiनयनeye
2Sanskritनयनeye; leading organ; conducting, guiding,...
3Sanskritनीto guide, govern, direct
4Proto-Indo-EuropeanneyH-to lead

via Hindi मृग

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Hindiमृगdeer; antelope
2Sanskritमृगa forest animal, wild beast; a deer, gazelle,...
3Proto-Indo-Iranianmr̥gása forest animal
Every word from Proto-Indo-European neyH-Every word from Sanskrit नीEvery word from Sanskrit नयन