Where does “atha” come from?

atha (Kikuyu) comes from Sanskrit अथ, from Sanskrit हस्त, from Proto-Indo-Aryan źʰástas, from Proto-Indo-Iranian ȷ́ʰástas, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰés-to-, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰes- — hand; take, give in exchange.

atha (Kikuyu): to order, to command

Definitions

  1. to order, to command

Ancestry of “atha”, step by step

atha traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Sanskrit अथ

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Sanskritअथa particle used at the beginning of a passage
2Sanskritहस्तthe hand; an elephant's trunk; the forearm
3Proto-Indo-Aryanźʰástas
4Proto-Indo-Iranianȷ́ʰástashand
5Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰés-to-hand
6Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰes-hand; take, give in exchange

via Old Irish athad

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Irishathad
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰes-Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰés-to-Every word from Proto-Indo-Iranian ȷ́ʰástas