Where does “ตัวเอก” come from?

ตัวเอก (Thai) comes from Thai เอก, from Pali eka, from Sanskrit एक, from Proto-Indo-Aryan Háykas, from Proto-Indo-Iranian Háykas, from Proto-Indo-European óynos — one; single.

ตัวเอก (Thai): main character, protagonist

Definitions

  1. main character, protagonist

Ancestry of “ตัวเอก”, step by step

ตัวเอก traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Thai เอก

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Thaiเอกsole; single; solitary; one; alone; lonely;...
2Paliekaone
3Sanskritएकone; alone, solitary, single, happening only...
4Proto-Indo-AryanHáykasone
5Proto-Indo-IranianHáykasone
6Proto-Indo-Europeanóynosone; single

via Thai ตัว

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Thaiตัวself; figure; form; shape; body; embodiment;...
2Old Chinese頭—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European óynos →Every word from Proto-Indo-Iranian Háykas →Every word from Proto-Indo-Aryan Háykas →