English words from Sanskrit
5 English words with Sanskrit in their history, whether borrowed directly or passed on through other languages.
avatar
It is borrowed from Sanskrit अवतार (avatāra, “descent”), from Sanskrit अवतरति (avatarati, “he descends”), from Sanskrit अव (ava-, “down, away”) + तरति (tarati, “he crosses over”).
guru
It is borrowed from Hindi गुरु (gurū, “teacher, priest”), from Sanskrit गुरु (guru, “venerable; heavy”), literally “heavy, weighty”. Merriam-Webster relates it to grieve.
juggernaut
It is borrowed from Hindi जगन्नाथ (Jagannāth, “lord of the world”), a title of Krishna, from Sanskrit जगन्नाथ (Jagannātha, “lord of the world”), from जगत् (jagat) “world” + नाथ (nātha) “lord…
mandarin
It is borrowed from Portuguese mandarim, partly through Spanish mandarín and older Dutch mandorijn, from Malay menteri, from Hindi मन्त्री (mantrī, “counsellor, minister of state”), from Sanskrit…
thug
It is borrowed from Hindi ठग (ṭhag, “cheat, thief”), perhaps from Sanskrit स्थग (sthaga, “cunning, fraudulent”), from स्थगयति (sthagayati) “he conceals”. Etymonline also cites Marathi ठग (thag)…