Where does “श्वेताम्बर” come from?

श्वेताम्बर (Sanskrit) comes from Sanskrit श्वेत, from Proto-Indo-Iranian *ćwaytás, from Proto-Indo-European ḱweytós — white; bright; shine.

Ancestry of “श्वेताम्बर”, step by step

श्वेताम्बर traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Sanskrit श्वेत

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Sanskritश्वेतwhite, bright, dressed in white
2Proto-Indo-Iranian*ćwaytáswhite
3Proto-Indo-Europeanḱweytóswhite; bright; shine

via Sanskrit अम्बर

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Sanskritअम्बरsurroundings, environment; sky, atmosphere,...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱweytós →Every word from Proto-Indo-Iranian *ćwaytás →Every word from Sanskrit श्वेत →