Etymology Explorer › Ottoman Turkish

Where does “karvanseray” come from?

karvanseray (Ottoman Turkish) comes from Persian کاروانسرای, from Persian کاروان, from Middle Persian kʾlwʾn', from Old Persian 𐎣𐎠𐎼, from Proto-Indo-European ḱer-, from Proto-Indo-European kr̥-, from Proto-Indo-European ker- — army.

Ancestry of “karvanseray”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Persianکاروانسرایcaravanserai
2Persianکاروانcaravan; convoy
3Middle Persiankʾlwʾn'military column; caravan
4Old Persian𐎣𐎠𐎼the people, subjects; army
5Proto-Indo-Europeanḱer-to grow, to make grow, to nourish; to plait,...
6Proto-Indo-Europeankr̥-to turn, to bend
7Proto-Indo-Europeanker-army
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ker- →