Where does “kavi” come from?
kavi (Pali) comes from Sanskrit कवि, from Proto-Indo-Aryan kawHíṣ, from Proto-Indo-Iranian káwHiš, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kewh₁- — to perceive; to observe.
kavi (Pali): a poet; a monkey
Ancestry of “kavi”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Sanskrit | कवि | wise man, sage, seer, prophet; a singer, bard,... |
| 2 | Proto-Indo-Aryan | kawHíṣ | — |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-Iranian | káwHiš | seer, poet; institutor of religious rites;... |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)kewh₁- | to perceive; to observe |