Where does “isteri” come from?
isteri (Malay) comes from Sanskrit स्त्री, from Proto-Indo-Iranian stríH, from Proto-Indo-European ḱley-, from Proto-Indo-European ḱel- — to cover; to incline.
isteri (Malay): wife
Ancestry of “isteri”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Sanskrit | स्त्री | a woman, female; wife; the female of any animal |
| 2 | Proto-Indo-Iranian | stríH | a woman |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱley- | to shelter, cover; to lean, slope, incline |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱel- | to cover; to incline |