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Etymology
Dictionary
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Origin of the word BANYAN. Etymology of the word
BANYAN.
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From An Etymology
Dictionary of the English Language, by Walter W. Skeat, 1893 |
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BANYAN,
a kind of tree. (Skt.) Sir T. Herbert, in describing the
religion of 'the Bannyans' of India, proceeds to speak of 'the bannyan
trees,' which were esteemed as sacred; ed. 1665, p. 51. The bannyans
were merchants, and the bannyan-trees (an English, not a native, term)
were used as a sort of market-place, and are (I am told) still so used.—Skt.
banij, a merchant; banijya, trade. [†] ADDENDA Sir
T. Herbert, Travels, ed. 1665, p. 123, says that the English so named the
tree because the bannyans (merchants) used to adorn it according to their
fancy. This explains the reason for the name more fully, and
confirms the etymology.
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| Etymology
Dictionary Index |
| A, B,
C, D, E,
F, G, H,
I, J, K,
L, M, N,
O, P, Q,
R, S, T,
U, V, W,
X, Y, Z
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| Key |
| Arab.=Arabic. |
| A.S.=Anglo
Saxon. |
| Bavar.=Bavarian |
| Bohem.=Bohemian. |
| C.=Celtic,
used as a general term for Irish, Gaelic, Welsh, Breton,
Cornish, &c. |
| Corn.=Cornish. |
| Dan.=Danish. |
| Du.=Dutch |
| E.=English. |
| E.E.=Early
English. |
| Europ.=European. |
| F.=French. |
| G.=German. |
| Gk.=Greek. |
| Goth.=Gothic. |
| Icel.=Icelandic. |
| Ital.=Italian. |
| L. or
Lat.=Latin. |
| Lith.
& Lithuan.=Lithuanian. |
| M.E.=Middle
English. |
| M.F.=Middle
French |
| M.H.G.=Middle
High German. |
| Norw.=Norwegian. |
| O.F.=Old
French. |
| O.H.G.=Old
High German. |
| Pers.=Persian. |
| Port.=Portuguese. |
| Scand.=Scandinavian,
used as a general term for Icelandic, Swedish, Danish,
&c. |
| Sc.=Scottish. |
| Skt.=Sanskrit. |
| Span.=Spanish. |
| Swed.=Sweish. |
| Teut.=Teutonic |
| Turk.=Turkish. |
| W.=Welsh. |
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