Where does “خدا حافظ” come from?

خدا حافظ (Persian) comes from Persian خدا, from Classical Persian خدای, from Middle Persian hwtʾy, from Proto-Iranian *hwatā́wHā — lord, sovereign, king.

خدا حافظ (Persian): Alternative form of خداحافظ; May the Lord be your...

Definitions

  1. Alternative form of خداحافظ; May the Lord be your...

Ancestry of “خدا حافظ”, step by step

خدا حافظ traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Persian خدا

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1PersianخداGod, god; lord; patron
2Classical Persianخدای—
3Middle Persianhwtʾylord
4Proto-Iranian*hwatā́wHālord, sovereign, king

via Persian حافظ

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Persianحافظretaining; protector; guardian
2Arabicحَافِظ—
3Arabicحَفِظَto preserve, to protect, to defend; to guard,...

via Persian خداحافظ

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1PersianخداحافظAPI •; goodbye, god be with you
2Persianخدا حافظت باشد—

Words derived from “خدا حافظ”

Every word from Proto-Iranian *hwatā́wHā →Every word from Middle Persian hwtʾy →Every word from Classical Persian خدای →