Where does “gentilman” come from?
gentilman (Middle English) comes from Middle English man, from Old English mān, from Sanskrit महादेव, from Sanskrit महा, from Sanskrit महायान, from Sanskrit यान, from Proto-Indo-Aryan yáHnam, from Proto-Indo-Iranian yáHnam — to go; to go in, enter; to ride, to travel.
Ancestry of “gentilman”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | man | Typically singular, indefinite pronoun: one, you;... |
| 2 | Old English | mān | bad, criminal, false; shameful act; crime;... |
| 3 | Sanskrit | महादेव | — |
| 4 | Sanskrit | महा | combining form of महत्; buffalo; great, large,... |
| 5 | Sanskrit | महायान | — |
| 6 | Sanskrit | यान | carriage, vehicle, mode of transport; moving,... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-Aryan | yáHnam | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-Iranian | yáHnam | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | yéh₂-nom | — |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | yeh₂- | to go; to go in, enter; to ride, to travel |