Where does “महायान” come from?

महायान (Sanskrit) comes 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.

महायान (Sanskrit): Mahayana

Definitions

  1. Mahayana

Ancestry of “महायान”, step by step

महायान traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Sanskrit यान

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Sanskritयानcarriage, vehicle, mode of transport; moving,...
2Proto-Indo-AryanyáHnam—
3Proto-Indo-IranianyáHnam—
4Proto-Indo-Europeanyéh₂-nom—
5Proto-Indo-Europeanyeh₂-to go; to go in, enter; to ride, to travel

via Sanskrit महा

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Sanskritमहाcombining form of महत्; buffalo; great, large,...
2Proto-Indo-Aryanmaźʰā́—
3Proto-Indo-Iranianmaȷ́ʰā́big, great
4Proto-Indo-Europeanméǵh₂sbig, great

Words derived from “महायान”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European yeh₂- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European yéh₂-nom →Every word from Proto-Indo-Iranian yáHnam →