Where does “نیل” come from?
نیل (Persian) comes from Arabic نيل, from Middle Persian 𐭭𐭩𐭫, from Sanskrit नील, from Proto-Indo-European neyH- — to lead.
نیل (Persian): indigo
Ancestry of “نیل”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Arabic | نيل | verbal noun of نَالَ; indigo; to colour indigo |
| 2 | Middle Persian | 𐭭𐭩𐭫 | indigo |
| 3 | Sanskrit | नील | of a dark color |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | neyH- | to lead |