Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “Persien” come from?

Persien (Middle English) comes from Middle French persien, from Italian persiano, from Medieval Latin Persianus, from Latin Persia, from Latin Persa, from Ancient Greek Περσίς, from Old Persian 𐎱𐎠𐎼𐎿, from Proto-Iranian párcuš — chest; rib.

Ancestry of “Persien”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Frenchpersien—
2ItalianpersianoPersian, Iranian; Persian; The fur of the karakul
3Medieval LatinPersianus—
4LatinPersiaPersia
5LatinPersaA Persian
6Ancient GreekΠερσίςPersian; a female Persian
7Old Persian𐎱𐎠𐎼𐎿a Persian
8Proto-Iranianpárcušrib
9Proto-Indo-Iranianpárćušrib
10Proto-Indo-Europeanpérḱuschest; rib
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pérḱus →