Where does “عالم” come from?

عالم (Urdu) comes from Classical Persian عالم, from Arabic عالم, from Arabic عَلِمَ, from Arabic ل, from Proto-Semitic *lV- — for, to.

عالم (Urdu): world; universe; mankind

Definitions

  1. world; universe; mankind

Ancestry of “عالم”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Classical Persianعالم—
2Arabicعالمworld; universe, cosmos, existence; things,...
3Arabicعَلِمَto know, to perceive, to distinguish
4Arabicلto, for, belonging to; لَـ •; Used to express...
5Proto-Semitic*lV-for, to
Every word from Proto-Semitic *lV- →Every word from Arabic ل →Every word from Arabic عَلِمَ →