pastor (Indonesian)
Where does "pastor" come from?
The Indonesian word 'pastor' traces its roots back to the Proto-Indo-European word '*peh₂-', meaning 'to protect.' This evolved into the Latin word 'pāstor,' which referred to a shepherd or one who feeds the flock. Through Dutch, the term was eventually adopted into Indonesian to describe a parish priest, retaining the core metaphorical connection of a leader caring for their congregation.
Full etymology tree
- pastor (Indonesian), 'parish priest'
- borrowed pastoor (Dutch), 'parish priest'
- inherited pastōor (Middle Dutch), 'priest, pastor'
- borrowed pāstor (Latin), 'A person who tends sheep; shepherd.'
- derived pāscō (Latin), 'to feed, nourish, maintain, support'
- inherited *pāskō (Proto-Italic), 'to feed'
- inherited *péh₂sti (Proto-Indo-European), 'to guard, to protect'
- derived *peh₂- (Proto-Indo-European), 'to protect, to ward'
- inherited *péh₂sti (Proto-Indo-European), 'to guard, to protect'
- inherited *pāskō (Proto-Italic), 'to feed'
- derived pāscō (Latin), 'to feed, nourish, maintain, support'
- borrowed pāstor (Latin), 'A person who tends sheep; shepherd.'
- inherited pastōor (Middle Dutch), 'priest, pastor'
- borrowed pastoor (Dutch), 'parish priest'
Ancestors
- pastoor (Dutch)
- pastoor (Middle Dutch)
- pastor (Latin)
- *peh₂- (Proto-Indo-European)
Updated June 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris