Where does “xaque” come from?
xaque (Old Spanish) comes from Arabic شاه, from Classical Persian شاه, from Middle Persian 𐭬𐭫𐭪𐭠, from Old Persian 𐏋, from Proto-Iranian xšáyati, from Proto-Indo-Iranian kšáyati, from Proto-Indo-European teḱ- — to sire, beget.
Ancestry of “xaque”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Arabic | شاه | shah; king |
| 2 | Classical Persian | شاه | — |
| 3 | Middle Persian | 𐭬𐭫𐭪𐭠 | king |
| 4 | Old Persian | 𐏋 | king |
| 5 | Proto-Iranian | xšáyati | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-Iranian | kšáyati | he rules, he has power over |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | teḱ- | to sire, beget |