Where does “rasta” come from?

rasta (Swahili) comes from English Rasta, from English Rastafari, from Amharic ራስ ተፈሪ, from Amharic ራስ, from Proto-Semitic raʾš- — head.

rasta (Swahili): dreadlock

Definitions

  1. dreadlock

Ancestry of “rasta”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishRastaRastafari
2EnglishRastafariRastafarianism
3Amharicራስ ተፈሪ—
4Amharicራስhead
5Proto-Semiticraʾš-head
Every word from Proto-Semitic raʾš- →Every word from Amharic ራስ →Every word from Amharic ራስ ተፈሪ →