banyan

Where does the word "banyan" come from? It comes from Sanskrit vanij, passing through Gujarati, Arabic and Portuguese before entering English (1630s).

Banyan’s story begins in Sanskrit: vanij meant “a merchant.” Meant 'merchant, trader'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Gujarati as vaniyo. Named the Gujarati merchant caste. From there it passed into Arabic as baniyan by medieval. Arab traders adopted the word for the Hindu merchants they dealt with. Portuguese picked it up next, as baniano, around 16th c.. Portuguese traders at Persian Gulf ports used the term. It reached English by 1630s as banyan. Applied first to the merchants, then to the fig tree they traded and sheltered beneath at a Gulf port. Today, banyan means a large fig tree native to India that grows aerial roots from its branches, forming multiple trunks.

1. Stage 1 · Sanskrit · ancient vanij "a merchant", meant 'merchant, trader'.
2. Stage 2 · Gujarati · medieval vaniyo "a member of the trading caste", named the Gujarati merchant caste.
3. Stage 3 · Arabic · medieval baniyan "a Hindu merchant", Arab traders adopted the word for the Hindu merchants they dealt with.
4. Stage 4 · Portuguese · 16th c. baniano "a Hindu merchant", Portuguese traders at Persian Gulf ports used the term.
5. Stage 5 · English · 1630s banyan "the sacred fig tree with aerial roots", applied first to the merchants, then to the fig tree they traded and sheltered beneath at a Gulf port.