Where does “рай” come from?
рай (Russian) comes from Proto-Slavic rajь, from Proto-Iranian raHíš, from Proto-Indo-Iranian raHíš, from Proto-Indo-European reh₁ís — wealth, goods.
рай (Russian): paradise, heaven
Ancestry of “рай”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Proto-Slavic | rajь | paradise |
| 2 | Proto-Iranian | raHíš | — |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-Iranian | raHíš | — |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | reh₁ís | wealth, goods |