Where does “can” come from?

can (Turkish) comes from Persian جان, from Middle Persian yʾn', from Proto-Iranian *wyaHnáH, from Proto-Indo-Iranian wyaHnás, from Proto-Indo-European h₂enh₁‑ — to breathe.

can (Turkish): soul, life, being; sweetheart

Definitions

  1. soul, life, being; sweetheart

Ancestry of “can”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Persianجانsoul; being; life
2Middle Persianyʾn'—
3Proto-Iranian*wyaHnáH—
4Proto-Indo-IranianwyaHnás—
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂enh₁‑to breathe
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂enh₁‑ →Every word from Proto-Indo-Iranian wyaHnás →Every word from Proto-Iranian *wyaHnáH →