Where does “नमस्कार” come from?
नमस्कार (Sanskrit) comes from Sanskrit नमस्, from Proto-Indo-European némos, from Proto-Indo-European nem- — to distribute; to give, to take.
नमस्कार (Sanskrit): respectful greetings
Ancestry of “नमस्कार”, step by step
नमस्कार traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Sanskrit नमस्
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Sanskrit | नमस् | bow, obeisance, reverential salutation,... |
| 2 | Proto-Indo-European | némos | sacrifice, worship; place of sacrifice, clearing |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | nem- | to distribute; to give, to take |
via Sanskrit कार
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Sanskrit | कार | gain, prize, booty; contest, war; an act, action |
| 2 | Sanskrit | कृ | to make |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷer- | to do; to make; to build |
Words derived from “नमस्कार”