Where does “жар-птица” come from?

жар-птица (Russian) comes from Bulgarian птица, from Old Church Slavonic пътица, from Proto-Slavic pъtica, from Proto-Slavic pъta, from Proto-Indo-European peth₂- — to spread out; to fly.

жар-птица (Russian): firebird, phoenix; tempting, hard-to-achieve...

Definitions

  1. firebird, phoenix; tempting, hard-to-achieve...

Ancestry of “жар-птица”, step by step

жар-птица traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Bulgarian птица

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Bulgarianптицаbird, fowl
2Old Church Slavonicпътицаbird
3Proto-Slavicpъticabird
4Proto-Slavicpъtabird
5Proto-Indo-Europeanpeth₂-to spread out; to fly

via Russian жар

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Russianжарheat; ardour; fever, high temperature
2Proto-Slavicžarъglow, heat
3Proto-Indo-Europeangʷʰer(m)warm

via Russian пти́ца

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Russianпти́цаbird
Every word from Proto-Indo-European peth₂-Every word from Proto-Slavic pъtaEvery word from Proto-Slavic pъtica