Where does “මහප්පා” come from?

මහප්පා (Sinhalese) comes from Sinhalese මහා, from Sanskrit महा, from Proto-Indo-Aryan maźʰā́, from Proto-Indo-Iranian maȷ́ʰā́, from Proto-Indo-European méǵh₂s — big, great.

මහප්පා (Sinhalese): uncle, older brother of your father

Definitions

uncle, older brother of your father

Ancestry of “මහප්පා”, step by step

මහප්පා traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Sinhalese මහා

Step	Language	Word	Meaning
1	Sinhalese	මහා	great, large, big, huge, ample, extensive, long, abundant
2	Sanskrit	महा	combining form of महत्; buffalo; great, large,...
3	Proto-Indo-Aryan	maźʰā́	—
4	Proto-Indo-Iranian	maȷ́ʰā́	big, great
5	Proto-Indo-European	méǵh₂s	big, great

via Sinhalese අප්පා

Step	Language	Word	Meaning
1	Sinhalese	අප්පා	father
2	Tamil	அப்பா	father, dad
3	Proto-Dravidian	appa	father; A respectful term of address to a man

Every word from Proto-Indo-European méǵh₂s →Every word from Proto-Indo-Iranian maȷ́ʰā́ →Every word from Proto-Indo-Aryan maźʰā́ →