Where does “ਸ਼ਾਇਦ” come from?
ਸ਼ਾਇਦ (Punjabi) comes from Persian شاید, from Middle Persian šʾ(d)yt', from Proto-Iranian xšáyati, from Proto-Indo-Iranian kšáyati, from Proto-Indo-European teḱ- — to sire, beget.
ਸ਼ਾਇਦ (Punjabi): maybe
Ancestry of “ਸ਼ਾਇਦ”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Persian | شاید | maybe; perhaps; probably; May be worthy; may ... |
| 2 | Middle Persian | šʾ(d)yt' | one can, it is possible |
| 3 | Proto-Iranian | xšáyati | — |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-Iranian | kšáyati | he rules, he has power over |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | teḱ- | to sire, beget |