Etymology Explorer › Sanskrit

Where does “महादेव” come from?

महादेव (Sanskrit) comes from Sanskrit महा, from Sanskrit महायान, from Sanskrit यान, from Proto-Indo-Aryan yáHnam, from Proto-Indo-Iranian yáHnam, from Proto-Indo-European yéh₂-nom, from Proto-Indo-European yeh₂- — to go; to go in, enter; to ride, to travel.

Ancestry of “महादेव”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Sanskritमहाcombining form of महत्; buffalo; great, large,...
2Sanskritमहायान—
3Sanskritयानcarriage, vehicle, mode of transport; moving,...
4Proto-Indo-AryanyáHnam—
5Proto-Indo-IranianyáHnam—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanyéh₂-nom—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanyeh₂-to go; to go in, enter; to ride, to travel
Every word from Proto-Indo-European yeh₂- →