deva (English)
Where does "deva" come from?
The word 'deva' descends from the Proto-Indo-European root '*dyew-', which originally meant to be bright or to shine. It entered English via the Sanskrit term for a deity or god, capturing the ancient connection between divine beings and the brilliance of the sky. It shares a common ancestry with the Persian 'daeva,' reflecting the deep linguistic links between these ancient cultures.
Full etymology tree
- deva (English), 'A god in Vedic mythology, Hinduism and Buddhism.'
- borrowed deva (Sanskrit)
- inherited *daywás (Proto-Indo-Aryan)
- inherited *daywás (Proto-Indo-Iranian), 'god'
- inherited *deywós (Proto-Indo-European), 'god'
- prefix *dyew- (Proto-Indo-European), 'to be bright, to shine'
- suffix *-ós (Proto-Indo-European), 'Forms possessive adjectives from nouns.'
- inherited *deywós (Proto-Indo-European), 'god'
- inherited *daywás (Proto-Indo-Iranian), 'god'
- inherited *daywás (Proto-Indo-Aryan)
- borrowed deva (Sanskrit)
Direct ancestors
Updated June 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris