Where does “berdache” come from?

berdache (Portuguese) comes from French bardache, from Italian bardassa, from Arabic بَرْدَج, from Persian برده, from Middle Persian 𐫇‎𐫡𐫅𐫃.

berdache (Portuguese): two-spirit

Definitions

  1. two-spirit

Ancestry of “berdache”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchbardacheberdache; passive homosexual
2Italianbardassayoung prostitute; brat, kid
3Arabicبَرْدَجslave
4Persianبردهslave; captive
5Middle Persian𐫇‎𐫡𐫅𐫃—
Every word from Middle Persian 𐫇‎𐫡𐫅𐫃 →Every word from Persian برده →Every word from Arabic بَرْدَج →